Ii'lie  ihmd  of  %u$ 


Hi 

11 

ill 

a5 


LIBRARY  OF  PRINCE! 

APR  -4  20( 

THE 

o  c  :  :alseminar\( 

BS  2595  .E7  1921 

Erdman,  Charles  Rosenbury, 

1866-1960. 
The  Gospel  of  Luke 


Wl)t  Gospel  of  Hufee 


AN  EXPOSITION 


BY 
CHARLES  R.  ERDMAN 

Professor  of  Practical  Theology 

Princeton   Theological   Seminary 

Princeton,  New  Jersey 

Author  of  "The  Gospel  of  John,  an  Exposition,' 

"The  Gospel  of  Mark,"  "The  General  Epistles," 

"The  Acts,"    "The  Gospel  of  Matthew," 

"Coming  to  the  Communion,"  etc. 


V.     I        5     / 


APR  -4 


2006 


THEOLC 


PHILADELPHIA 
THE  WESTMINSTER  PRESS 

1921 


Copyright,  1921 

by 

F.  M.  Braselman 


The  Bible  text  printed  in  boldface  is  taken  from  the  American  Standard 
Edition  of  the  Revised  Bible,  copyright,  1901,  by  Thomas  Nelson  &  Sons, 
and  is  used  by  permission. 


TO 

THE  MEN  WHO  LONG 

TO  BE  LIKE  HIM 


#=#H" 


FOREWORD 

The  Gospel  of  Luke  is  the  most  beautiful  book  in  the 
world;  at  least,  so  it  has  been  called,  and  those  who  know  it 
best  are  not  likely  to  dispute  such  praise.  The  purpose  of 
this  little  volume  is  to  place  the  book  in  convenient  form, 
and  by  an  outline  and  brief  comments  to  aid  in  focusing  the 
thought  of  the  reader  upon  the  successive  scenes  of  the 
gospel  story.  These  are  familiar  scenes,  but  each  review 
of  them  more  vividly  reveals  the  great  central  Figure  as 
supreme  among  men  in  the  matchless  loveliness  of  his 
divine  manhood,  himself  the  perfect,  the  ideal  Man. 


INTRODUCTION 

The  surpassing  beauty  of  this  book  betokens  the  personal 
attractiveness  of  its  author  and  the  dignity  and  importance 
of  its  theme.  It  was  written  by  Luke,  "the  beloved  physi- 
cian," and  it  concerns  the  life  and  saving 
The  Author  work  of  our  Lord.     The  phrase  which 

describes  the  writer  as  "the  physician, 
the  beloved  one,"  is  full  of  significance.  It  was  penned  by 
Paul,  when  a  prisoner  in  Rome,  to  his  friends  in  distant 
Colossae.  It  indicates  that  Luke  was  a  man  of  culture  and 
scientific  training  and  that  the  charm  of  his  character  was 
so  conspicuous  as  to  be  recognized  by  the  Christian 
churches  of  Europe  and  of  Asia.  The  connection  in 
which  this  phrase  occurs  indicates  that  Luke  was  not  a  Jew 
but  a  Gentile  by  birth,  and  further,  that  he  was  a  close 
companion  of  Paul. 

To  Luke's  authorship  is  attributed  not  only  this  "Third 
Gospel"  but  also  "The  Acts."  He  was  a  man  of  such  mod- 
esty that  he  never  mentioned  his  own  name  even  when 
recording  the  stirring  events  in  which  he  played  so  promi- 
nent a  part.  Nevertheless  he  revealed  himself  in  every 
page  of  his  writings  and  was  evidently  a  man  of  broad  sym- 
pathies, an  acute  observer,  a  careful  historian,  and  a  loyal 
friend. 

The  story  of  his  companionship  with  Paul  begins  in  the 
record  of  the  apostle's  second  missionary  journey  when  he 
was  about  to  sail  from  Troas  on  the  memorable  voyage 
which  resulted  in  establishing  Christianity  on  a  new  conti- 
nent. The  two  friends  journeyed  together  to  Philippi, 
where  a  strong  church  was  founded ;  but  while  Paul  contin- 
ued his  travels  through  Macedonia  and  Greece,  Luke  re- 
mained behind,  possibly  to  care  for  the  young  converts. 
Seven  years  later  when  Paul  was  on  his  third  missionary 
tour  he  seems  to  have  found  Luke  at  Philippi  and  to  have 
been  accompanied  by  him  on  his  way  to  Jerusalem.  When 
Paul  was  arrested  and  was  confined  for  two  years  at  Caesa- 


8  INTRODUCTION 

rea,  Luke  was  his  companion.  Later  they  shared  together 
the  perils  of  the  voyage  and  the  shipwreck  on  the  way  to 
Rome,  and  the  imprisonment  in  the  imperial  city.  Paul 
appears  to  have  been  released  and  then  imprisoned  a  second 
time,  and  when  he  wrote  his  last  letter,  under  the  shadow 
of  approaching  martyrdom,  the  only  friend  to  remain  faith- 
ful and  to  comfort  him  in  his  loneliness  was  Luke. 

As  might  be  expected,  the  narrative  composed  by  such 
an  author  is  characterized  by  (1)  unusual  literary  beauty; 
it  is  plainly  the  product  of  Greek  culture.  The  divine 
Spirit  chose  and  equipped  a  rare  instrument  in  the  poetic 
and  refined  personality  of  Luke  and  through  him  gave  to 
the  world  that  version  of  the  gospel  story  which  is  most  ex- 
quisite in  style  and  most  finished  in  form. 

Yet  Luke  was  not  only  a  man  of  culture,  he  was  also  a 
Christian  physician  and  thus  a  man  of  wide  and  tender 
sympathies,  and  his  narrative  is  therefore  characterized 
(2)  by  its  absorbing  human  interest.  It 
The  Gospel  is  a  story  of  real  life;  it  is  suffused  with 

emotion ;  it  is  full  of  gladness  and  sorrow, 
of  songs  and  of  tears ;  it  is  vocal  with  praise  and  with  prayer. 

It  is  the  gospel  of  childhood.  By  its  tender  stories  of  the 
birth  of  John  and  of  Jesus,  it  places  an  unfading  halo  of 
glory  about  the  brow  of  infancy,  and  it  alone  preserves  the 
precious  picture  of  the  boyhood  of  our  Lord.  It  is  the  gos- 
pel of  womanhood.  It  sketches  for  us  that  immortal  group 
of  women  associated  with  the  life  of  Jesus.  We  see  Elisa- 
beth and  the  virgin  mother  and  the  aged  Anna,  the  widow 
of  Nain,  the  sisters  at  Bethany,  and  the  repentant  sinner, 
the  sufferer  bowed  down  by  Satan  and  the  stranger  who 
congratulates  Mary,  the  company  that  minister  to  Jesus  on 
his  journeys  and  the  "daughters  of  Jerusalem"  weeping  on 
the  way  to  the  cross. 

It  is  the  gospel  of  the  home.  It  gives  us  glimpses  of  the 
family  life  at  Nazareth,  of  the  scene  in  the  house  of  Simon, 
of  the  hospitality  of  Martha  and  Mary,  of  the  evening  meal 
with  the  two  disciples  at  Emmaus  and  the  picture  in  the 
parables  of  the  importunate  friend  at  midnight,  of  the 
woman  searching  the  room  for  the  lost  coin  and  of  the  prod- 
igal turning  back  to  his  father's  house. 


INTRODUCTION  9 

It  is  the  gospel  of  the  poor  and  the  lowly;  it  warns  against 
the  perils  of  wealth  and  expresses  sympathy  and  hope  for 
those  who  are  oppressed  by  poverty  and  want.  This  sym- 
pathy is  sounded  in  the  song  of  Mary,  in  the  first  sermon  of 
the  Saviour,  in  the  first  Beatitude,  "Blessed  are  ye  poor." 
Luke  also  records  the  parables  of  the  Rich  Fool  and  of  the 
Rich  Man  and  Lazarus,  and  paints,  with  Mark,  the  picture 
of  the  widow  offering  to  the  Lord  her  two  mites. 

It  is  also  the  gospel  of  praise  and  of  prayer,  expressions  of 
the  deepest  convictions  and  longings  of  the  human  heart. 
The  Gospel  opens  with  a  scene  in  the  Temple  at  the  hour  of 
incense  and  with  the  "Magnificat"  of  Mary  and  the  songs 
of  Zacharias  and  of  the  angels.  It  closes  with  the  benedic- 
tion of  the  ascending  Lord  and  the  thanksgiving  of  his 
joyful  disciples. 

Luke,  however,  was  not  only  a  man  of  culture  and  a  be- 
loved physician ;  he  was  also  a  companion  of  Paul  and  had 
traveled  with  the  apostle  over  a  great  portion  of  the  Roman 
world ;  therefore  he  naturally  wrote  a  gospel  characterized 
by  (3)  universal  interest.  Here  no  narrow  prejudice  di- 
vides race  from  race;  a  despised  Samaritan  stands  as  the 
supreme  example  of  a  neighbor,  the  angels  sing  of  peace 
among  men,  and  the  aged  Simeon  declares  that  Jesus  is  to 
be  a  "light  for  revelation  to  the  Gentiles"  as  well  as  the 
glory  of  Israel.  Luke  alone  gives  the  data  which  link  the 
sacred  story  to  the  secular  history  of  the  world.  His  out- 
look is  unlimited.  He  regards  the  good  news  concerning 
Christ  as  a  message  which  is  vital  to  the  welfare  and  re- 
demption of  the  entire  human  race. 

These  aspects  of  his  Gospel  blend  with  the  picture  of  his 
Lord  which  Luke  portrays.  The  character  of  Jesus  is  so 
subtle  and  complex  as  to  defy  exact  analysis,  and  yet  it  is 
evident  that  certain  of  its  features,  com- 
The  Portrait  of  mon  to  all,  are  emphasized  successively 
Jesus  by  each  one  of  the  Gospel  writers.    Mat- 

thew depicts  its  majesty,  Mark  its 
1.  The  Ideal  Man  strength,  and  John  its  sublimity;  but 
Luke  reveals  its  beauty,  and  paints  a 
picture  of  the  ideal  Man,  the  Saviour  of  the  world. 

As  to  all  the  prime  elements  of  perfect  manhood,  possibly 


10  INTRODUCTION 

no  two  persons  may  agree;  yet  none  would  deny  that  such 
was  the  manhood  of  Jesus,  and  none  would  question  that 
there  are  two  or  three  moral  qualities  which  he  exhibited  in 
a  superlative  degree,  qualities  upon  which  Luke  lays  special 
stress. 

First  of  all  Jesus  manifested  matchless  courage.  To 
some  interpreters  this  fearlessness  has  formed  the  very 
essence  of  the  "manliness  of  Christ."  He  was  not  a  weak 
and  nerveless  preacher  of  righteousness,  but  a  man  of 
strength,  of  dauntless  resolve,  and  of  courageous  action. 
The  mob  was  eager  to  destroy  him  as  he  began  his  work  in 
Nazareth,  but  his  enemies  quailed  before  his  majestic  pres- 
ence, as  "he  passing  through  the  midst  of  them  went  his 
way."  He  was  advised  to  flee  from  the  realm  of  Herod  but 
he  flung  defiance  to  the  king,  beginning  his  message  with 
the  words,  "Go  and  say  to  that  fox."  The  section  of  ten 
chapters  in  this  Gospel  which  describes  the  last  journeys  of 
our  Lord  opens  with  a  deeply  significant  phrase,  "He 
steadfastly  set  his  face  to  go  to  Jerusalem."  Only  five 
chapters  devoted  to  his  ministry  precede,  only  five  follow. 
During  all  the  long  period  described  in  the  chapters  be- 
tween, Jesus  plainly  foresaw  his  coming  rejection  and  suf- 
fering and  death,  but  fearlessly  and  with  unfaltering  step 
he  moved  onward  to  the  cross.  All  the  heroisms  of  history 
are  dwarfed  to  insignificance  by  this  incomparable  courage 
of  Christ. 

More  obvious  still  is  the  boundless  and  tender  sympathy 
of  this  ideal  Man.  He  declared  in  his  first  address  that  he 
had  come  "to  preach  good  tidings  to  the  poor:  .  .  .  to  pro- 
claim release  to  the  captives,  and  recovering  of  sight  to  the 
blind,  to  set  at  liberty  them  that  are  bruised";  and  as  we 
follow  in  his  footsteps  we  see  how  his  tender  heart  yearned 
over  all  who  suffered  and  were  distressed ;  he  dried  the  tears 
of  sorrow;  he  showed  his  pity  for  the  outcast  and  the  im- 
pure; he  received  sinners  and  was  entertained  by  publi- 
cans; he  praised  Samaritans  and  comforted  the  dying  thief. 
This  world  has  no  other  picture  of  such  perfect  com- 
passion, tenderness,  and  love;  and  these  are  essential  to 
true  manhood. 

More  mysterious,  but  none  the  less  real,  was  his  con- 


INTRODUCTION  11 

stant  faith.  His  life  was  lived  in  continual  fellowship  with 
God.  In  his  first  recorded  saying  he  declared,  "I  must  be 
in  my  Father's  house,"  and  at  the  last  he  breathed  out  his 
spirit  on  the  cross  with  the  words,  "Father,  into  thy  hands 
I  commend  my  spirit."  All  the  intervening  days  of  his  life 
and  ministry  were  filled  with  ceaseless  prayer.  On  at  least 
seven  other  occasions  it  is  stated  that  he  was  praying :  at  his 
baptism,  ch.  3  :  21 ;  after  healing  the  leper,  ch.  5  :  16;  before 
choosing  his  disciples,  ch.  6  :  12;  before  Peter's  great  con- 
fession, ch.  9  :  18;  at  his  transfiguration,  ch.  9  :  29;  before 
teaching  his  disciples  to  pray,  ch.  11 :  1 ;  in  the  first  agonies 
of  crucifixion,  ch.  23:  34.  So,  too,  he  taught  his  disciples 
to  pray  with  importunity,  ch.  11  :5-10,  with  perseverance, 
ch.  18  :  1-7,  and  with  penitence,  ch.  18  :  9-14.  Such  trust 
in  God,  such  sympathy,  such  bravery,  are  surely  prominent 
among  the  many  elements  which  are  blended  in  this  im- 
pressive portrayal  of  the  ideal  Man. 

However,  Luke  has  written  a  version  of  the  gospel  and 
therefore  has  produced  much  more  than  a  picture  of  human 
perfection  or  the  story  of  an  ideal  life.  The  gospel  is  the 
"good  news'*  of  salvation  secured  for 
2.  The  Saviour  of  us  by  our  Lord ;  and  in  the  narrative  of 
the  World  Luke  we  behold  One  who  was  not  only 

supreme  in  his  manhood  but  was  also  the 
Saviour  of  the  world.  It  was  in  accomplishing  this  re- 
deeming work  that  he  revealed  such  courage  and  so  stead- 
fastly set  his  face  to  go  to  Jerusalem.  The  salvation  he 
secured  is  inseparable  from  the  cross. 

It  was  a  salvation  provided  for  all,  even  as  his  sympathy 
knew  no  bounds  but  was  extended  to  the  last  and  the  low- 
est of  men — to  the  despised  publican,  to  the  outcast  sinner, 
to  the  hated  Samaritan,  to  the  crucified  thief. 

Then,  too,  as  he  ever  trusted  in  his  Father,  so  the  salva- 
tion he  secured  to  us  is  conditioned  upon  faith  in  himself  as 
Redeemer  and  Lord,  a  faith  which  implies  repentance  and 
trust  and  submission  and  sacrifice.  One  must  be  willing  to 
count  the  cost,  to  abandon  anything  which  stands  between 
self  and  the  Master.  This  salvation,  however,  is  wholly  of 
grace,  unmerited,  free,  provided  by  the  Father  for  all  who 
yield  themselves  to  the  loving  care  of  his  Son. 


12  INTRODUCTION 

This  salvation  was  to  be  proclaimed  to  all  the  nations. 
Those  to  whom  it  became  known,  and  by  whom  it  was  ac- 
cepted, were  to  become  witnesses  to  the  transforming  truth. 
For  such  testimony  they  would  require  courage  and  wide 
sympathy  and  unfaltering  faith,  and  in  their  courage  and 
sympathy  and  faith  they  would  be  like  their  Master  who  by 
such  qualities  was  manifested  as  the  ideal  Man  as  he  was 
the  divine  Saviour  of  the  world. 


THE  OUTLINE 

I 

Page 

The  Preface  to  the  Gospel.     Luke  1:1-4 17 

II 

The  Birth  and  Childhood  of  Jesus.     Chs.  1  :  5  to  2  :  52 . . .  19 

A.  The  Birth  of  John  Foretold.     Ch.  1 :  5-25 19 

B.  The  Annunciation  to  Mary.     Ch.  1  :  26-38 22 

C.  The  "Magnificat."     Ch.  1  :  39-56 25 

D.  The  Birth  of  John,  and  the  "Benedictus."     Ch.  1  : 

57-80 27 

E.  The  Birth  of  Jesus.     Ch.  2  :  1-20 30 

F.  The  Presentation  of  Jesus,  and  the  "Nunc  Dimit- 

tis."     Ch.  2  :  21-40 33 

G.  The  Boy  Jesus  at  Jerusalem.     Ch.  2  :  41-52 36 

III 

The  Preparation.     Chs.  3  :  1  to  4  :  13 39 

A.  The  Preaching  of  John.     Ch..  3  :  1-20    39 

B.  The  Baptism  of  Jesus.    Ch.  3:21,22       42 

C.  The  Genealogy  of  Jesus.     Ch.  3  :  23-38      44 

D.  The  Temptation  of  Jesus.     Ch.  4  :  1-13 46 

IV 

The  Ministry  in  Galilee.     Chs.  4  :  14  to  9  :  50 51 

A.  The  First  Period.     Ch.  4  :  14-44   51 

1.  Jesus  Preaching  at  Nazareth.     Ch.  4  :  14-30  .  51 

2.  Jesus    Performing    Miracles    at    Capernaum. 

Ch.  4  :  31-44                 54 

B.  The  Second  Period.     Chs.  5  :  1  to  6  :  11 56 

1.  The  Call  of  the  First  Disciples.     Ch.  5  :  1-11  56 

2.  Jesus  Cleansing  a  Leper.     Ch.  5  :  12-16  ....  58 

13 


14  THE  OUTLINE 

Page 

3.  Jesus  Forgiving  Sins.     Ch.  5  :  17-26 59 

4:  The  Call  of  Levi.     Ch.  5  :  27-32   61 

5.  The  Question  of  Fasting.     Ch.  5  :  33-39   62 

6.  The  Sabbath  Controversy.     Ch.  6  : 1-11  ... .  64 

C.  The  Third  Period.     Chs.  6  :  12  to  8  :  56     66 

1.  The  Choice  of  the  Twelv  .     Ch.  6  :  12-19   .  .  .  66 

2.  The  Great  Sermon.     Ch.  6  :  20-49 69 

3.  The  Centurion  of  Capernaum.      Ch.  7  :  1-10    72 

4.  Jesus  Raising  the  W  dow's  Son.    Ch.  7  :  11-17  74 

5.  Jesus  Praising  John.     Ch.  7  :  18-35 75 

6.  A  Sinful  Woman  Forgiven      Ch.  7  :  36-50  . .  78 

7.  The  Minis  ering  Women.     Ch.  8  :  1-3 81 

8.  The  Parable  of  the  Sower.     Ch.  8  :  4-18    . .  .  82 

9.  Kinship  with  Jesus.     Ch.  8  :  19-21   85 

10.  Jesus  Stilling  the  Storm.     Ch.  8  :  22-25  ....  86 

11.  A  Demoniac  Healed.     Ch.  8  :  26-39 , .  87 

12.  The  Daughter  of  Jairus  and  the  Woman  with 

an  Issue  of  Blood.     Ch.  8  :  40-56 89 

D.  The  Fourth  Period.     Ch.  9  :  1-50 92 

1.  The  Mission  of  the  Twelve.     Ch.  9  :  1-9   .  .  .  92 

2.  The  Five  Thousand  Fed.     Ch.  9  :  10-17      .  .  94 

3.  Jesus  Predicting  His  Death.     Ch.  9  :  18-27  .  96 

4.  The  Transfiguration.     Ch.  9  :  28-36 97 

5.  The  Demoniac  Boy.     Ch.  9  :  37-45    99 

6.  Jesus    Rebuking    Pride    and    Bigotry.     Ch. 

9  :  46-50  100 

V 

The  Journeys  Toward  Jerusalem.     Chs.  9  :  51  to  19  :  28.  .  103 

A.  The  First  Stages.     Chs.  9  :  51  to  13  :  21       103 

1.  The  Inhospitable  Samaritans.     Ch.  9:51-56  10 

2.  Jesus  Rebuking  Rashness,  Insincerity, and  In- 

decision.    Ch.  9  :  57-62 104 

3.  The  Mission  of  the  Seventy.     Ch.  10  :  1-24.  106 

4.  The  Good  Samaritan.     Ch.  10  :  25-37    109 

5.  Martha  and  Mary.     Ch.  10  :  38-42    Ill 

6.  Jesus'  Teaching  Concerning   Prayer.        Ch. 

11  :  1-13 113 

7.  Jesus    Rebuking    Blasphemy  and  Unbelief. 

Ch.  11:  14-36   115 

8.  Pharisaism   Exposed   and    Denounced.     Ch. 

11  :  37-54 118 


THE  OUTLINE  15 

Page 
9.  Faithful  Testimony  Encouraged.     Ch.  12  : 

1-12  .. 121 

10.  A  Warning  Against  Covetousness.     Ch.  12  : 

13-21 123 

11.  The  Cure  of  Anxiety.     Ch.  12  :  22-34 125 

12.  An  Exhortation  to  Watchfulness.     Ch.  12  : 

35-48  . 126 

13.  The  Divisive  Influence  of  Christ.    Ch.  12  :  49- 

59 129 

14.  A  Call  to  Repentance.     Ch.  13  :  1-9 130 

15.  A  Cure  on  the  Sabbath.     Ch.  13  :  10-21 131 

B.  The  Second  Stages.     Chs.  13  :  22  to  17  :  10 133 

1.  The  Narrow  Door.     Ch.  13  :  22-30 133 

2.  The  Message  to  Herod  and  the  Lament  Over 

Jerusalem.     Ch.  13  :  31-35 135 

3.  Jesus  as  a  Sabbath  Guest.     Ch.  14  :  1-24 136 

4.  Counting  the  Cost.     Ch.  14  :  25-35 140 

5.  The  Prodigal  Son.     Ch.  15 141 

6.  The  Unrighteous  Steward.     Ch.  16  :  1-13  ...  146 

7.  The  Rich  Man  and  Lazarus.     Ch.  16  :  14-31 .  148 

8.  Warnings  to  the  Disciples.     Ch.  17  :  1-10  ...  151 

C.  The  Last  Stages.     Chs.  17  :  11  to  19  :  28 154 

1.  The  Samaritan  Leper.     Ch.  17  :  11-19 154 

2.  The  Coming  of  the  Kingdom.     Ch.  17  :  20-37  155 

3.  The  Unrighteous  judge.     Ch.  18  :  1-8 158 

4.  The  Pharisee  and  the  Publican.     Ch.  18  :  9-14  159 

5.  Jesus  Receiving  Little  Children.     Ch.  18  :  15- 

17 161 

6.  The  Rich  Ruler.     Ch.  18  :  18-30 163 

7.  Jesus  Again  Foretelling  His  Death.    Ch.  18: 

31-34 166 

8.  The  Blind  Man  at  Jericho.  Ch.  18  :  35-43.  .  167 

9.  The  Conversion  of  Zacchaeus.     Ch.  19  :  1-10  169 
10.  The  Parable  of  the  Pounds.     Ch.  19  :  11-28.  171 

VI 

The  Closing  Ministry.     Chs.  19  :  29  to  21  :  38 176 

A.  The  Triumphal  Entry.     Ch.  19  :  29-48 176 

B.  The  Question  as  to  Authority.     Ch.  20  :  1-8 178 

C.  The  Parable  of  the  Husbandmen.     Ch.  20  :  9-18  .  .  181 

D.  The  Question  as  to  Paying  Tribute.     Ch.  20  :  19-26  182 

E.  The  Question  as  to  the  Resurrection.     Ch.  20  :  27-40  184 


16  THE  OUTLINE 

Page 

F.  The  Question  of  Jesus.     Ch.  20  :  41-44 186 

G.  The  Warning  Against  the  Scribes.     Ch.  20  :  45-47 .  187 

H.  The  Widow's  Mites.     Ch.  21  :  1-4 188 

I.    The  Destruction  of  Jerusalem  and  the  Coming  of 

Christ.     Ch.  21  :  5-38 189 

1.  The  Present  Age.     Ch.  21 : 5-19 190 

2.  The  Destruction  of  Jerusalem.  Ch.  21:  20-24  192 

3.  The  Coming  of  Christ.    Ch.  21: 25-28 194 

4.  The  Encouragement  to  Hope  and  Vigilance. 

Ch.  21:29-36 195 

5.  The  Historic  Statement.     Ch.  21: 37,  38 196 

VII 

The  Death  and  Resurrection.     Chs.  22  to  24 198 

A.  The  Treachery  of  Judas.     Ch.  22  :  1-6 198 

B.  The  Last  Supper.     Ch.  22  :  7-38 199 

C.  The  Agony  in  Gethsemane.     Ch.  22  :  39-46 204 

D.  The  Arrest  of  Jesus.     Ch.  22  :  47-53 205 

E.  Peter's  Denial.     Ch.  22  :  54-62 207 

F.  Jesus  Before  the  Jewish  Rulers.     Ch.  22  :  63-71  ...  209 

G.  Jesus  Before  Pilate.     Ch.  23  :  1-25 210 

H.  The  Crucifixion.     Ch.  23  :  26-38 214 

I.    The  Penitent  Thief.     Ch.  23  :  39-43      217 

J.    The  Death  and  Burial.     Ch.  23  :  44-56 218 

K.  The  Empty  Tomb.     Ch.  24  :  1-12   221 

L.  The  Walk  to  Emmaus.     Ch.  24  :  13-35 223 

M.  Jesus  Appearing  to  the  Apostles.     Ch.  24  :  36-43 .  .  226 

N.  The  Last  Words.     Ch.  24  :  44-49 227 

O.  The  Ascension.    Ch.  24  :  50-53 228 


Luke  1: 1-4        PREFACE  TO  THE  GOSPEL  17 


I.    The  Preface  to  the  Gospel.    Luke  1:1-4 

1  Forasmuch  as  many  have  taken  in  hand  to  draw  up  a 
narrative  concerning  those  matters  which  have  been  fulfilled 
among  us,  2  even  as  they  delivered  them  unto  us,  who  from 
the  beginning  were  eyewitnesses  and  ministers  of  the  word, 
3  it  seemed  good  to  me  also,  having  traced  the  course  of  all 
things  accurately  from  the  first,  to  write  unto  thee  in  order, 
most  excellent  Theophilus;  4  that  thou  mightest  know  the 
certainty  concerning  the  things  wherein  thou  wast  instructed. 

This  preface  is  a  perfect  gem  of  Greek  art ;  even  in  the  Eng- 
lish Version  it  loses  little,  if  anything,  of  its  literary  charm. 
As  a  prologue  it  is  regarded  as  unsurpassed  for  brevity,  mod- 
esty, and  dignity.  However,  its  value  lies  not  in  its  beauty 
but  in  its  testimony  to  the  veracity  of  the  writer  and  to  the 
historic  worth  and  absolute  credibility  of  the  gospel 
story.  The  fact  of  inspiration  should  not  blind  us  to  the 
human  means  by  which  the  Spirit  of  God  secured  accuracy 
in  the  communication  of  truth  and  in  the  composition  of 
the  Holy  Scriptures. 

Here  we  are  admitted  to  the  study  of  a  great  historian. 
We  see  about  him  his  tools  and  his  material ;  we  are  in- 
formed as  to  his  motives  and  methods  in  work,  and  are  told 
of  the  qualifications  he  possesses  for  his  great  task.  First 
of  all,  he  has  before  him  many  written  accounts  of  the  min- 
istry of  Christ.  He  does  not  reject  these  as  inaccurate  but 
regards  any  one  of  them  as  inadequate.  By  comparing 
and  combining  them  he  secures  valuable  outlines  for  his 
more  complete  narrative. 

Then,  too,  he  intimates  that  he  is  living  and  writing 
amidst  the  scenes  and  in  the  very  atmosphere  of  the  events 
he  is  recording;  only  recently,  as  he  indicates,  have  these 
"matters  .  .  .  been  fulfilled."  Again,  he  has  access  to  the 
testimony  of  men  who  were  eyewitnesses  of  these  events 
and  who  have  been  public  teachers  of  the  gospel. 

Further,  he  assures  us  of  the  absolute  accuracy  with 
which  he  has  investigated  the  incidents  of  the  life  and  min- 
istry of  Christ,  even  from  the  earliest  scenes;  he  has  sifted 


18  PREFACE  TO  THE  GOSPEL       Luke  1:  14 

his  material  and  weighed  the  evidence  and  is  to  record  only 
established  facts. 

These  facts  he  is  to  relate  "in  order,"  that  is,  in  the  se- 
quence of  time,  and  further  still,  with  the  system  and  the 
careful  regard  to  proportion  and  to  completeness  which 
should  characterize  a  scientific,  historical  composition. 

Then  again  he  dedicates  the  book  to  Theophilus  whose 
title,  "most  excellent,"  indicates  that  he  is  a  man  of  rank 
and  official  position,  one  to  whom  an  author  would  not  ven- 
ture to  present  hasty,  imperfect,  and  inaccurate  work,  es- 
pecially when  the  one  addressed  had  been  instructed  already 
in  reference  to  the  matters  related. 

Thus  this  preface  shows  the  supreme  purpose  of  Luke 
was  to  confirm  the  belief  of  Theophilus,  who  is  apparently 
his  patron  and  friend,  and  to  deepen  his  conviction  of  the 
truth  of  the  gospel  story.  Surely  such  an  introduction 
must  remind  every  reader  that  our  Christian  faith  is  based 
upon  an  impregnable  foundation  of  historic  fact. 


Luke  1:5-21       BIRTH  OF  JOHN  FORETOLD  19 


II.    The  Birth  and  Childhood  of  Jesus.  Chs.  1  :  5 
to  2  :  52 

A.  THE  BIRTH  OF  JOHN  FORETOLD.    Chs.  1:  5-25 

5  There  was  in  the  days  of  Herod,  king  of  Judaea,  a  cer- 
tain priest  named  Zacharias,  of  the  course  of  Abijah :  and  he 
had  a  wife  of  the  daughters  of  Aaron,  and  her  name  was 
Elisabeth.  6  And  they  were  both  righteous  before  God, 
walking  in  all  the  commandments  and  ordinances  of  the 
Lord  blameless.  7  And  they  had  no  child,  because  that 
Elisabeth  was  barren,  and  they  both  were  now  well  stricken 
in  years. 

8  Now  it  came  to  pass,  while  he  executed  the  priest's  office 
before  God  in  the  order  of  his  course,  9  according  to  the  cus- 
tom of  the  priest's  office,  his  lot  was  to  enter  into  the  temple 
of  the  Lord  and  burn  incense.  10  And  the  whole  multitude 
of  the  people  were  praying  without  at  the  hour  of  incense. 
11  And  there  appeared  unto  him  an  angel  of  the  Lord  standing 
on  the  right  side  of  the  altar  of  incense.  12  And  Zacharias 
was  troubled  when  he  saw  him,  and  fear  fell  upon  him.  13 
But  the  angel  said  unto  him,  Fear  not,  Zacharias:  because 
thy  supplication  is  heard,  and  thy  wife  Elisabeth  shall  bear 
thee  a  son,  and  thou  shalt  call  his  name  John.  14  And  thou 
shalt  have  joy  and  gladness;  and  many  shall  rejoice  at  his 
birth.  15  For  he  shall  be  great  in  the  sight  of  the  Lord,  and 
he  shall  drink  no  wine  nor  strong  drink ;  and  he  shall  be  filled 
with  the  Holy  Spirit,  even  from  his  mother's  womb.  16  And 
many  of  the  children  of  Israel  shall  he  turn  unto  the  Lord 
their  God.  17  And  he  shall  go  before  his  face  in  the  spirit 
and  power  of  Elijah,  to  turn  the  hearts  of  the  fathers  to  the 
children,  and  the  disobedient  to  walk  in  the  wisdom  of  the 
just ;  to  make  ready  for  the  Lord  a  people  prepared  for  him. 

18  And  Zacharias  said  unto  the  angel,  Whereby  shall  I  know 
this?  for  I  am  an  old  man,  and  my  wife  well  stricken  in  years. 

19  And  the  angel  answering  said  unto  him,  I  am  Gabriel,  that 
stand  in  the  presence  of  God;  and  I  was  sent  to  speak  unto 
thee,  and  to  bring  thee  these  good  tidings.  20  And  behold, 
thou  shalt  be  silent  and  not  able  to  speak,  until  the  day  that 
these  things  shall  come  to  pass,  because  thou  believedst  not 
my  words,  which  shall  be  fulfilled  in  their  season.  21  And 
the  people  were  waiting  for  Zacharias,  and  they  marvelled 


20  THE  CHILDHOOD  OF  JESUS    Luke  1:  22-25 

while  he  tarried  in  the  temple.  22  And  when  he  came  out, 
he  could  not  speak  unto  them:  and  they  perceived  that  he 
had  seen  a  vision  in  the  temple:  and  he  continued  making 
signs  unto  them,  and  remained  dumb.  23  And  it  came  to 
pass,  when  the  days  of  his  ministration  were  fulfilled,  he 
departed  unto  his  house. 

24  And  after  these  days  Elisabeth  his  wife  conceived;  and 
she  hid  herself  five  months,  saying,  25  Thus  hath  the  Lord 
done  unto  me  in  the  days  wherein  he  looked  upon  me,  to 
take  away  my  reproach  among  men. 

Luke  is  the  gospel  of  gladness,  of  praise,  and  of  prayer, 
of  tender,  human  interest,  and  of  heavenly  grace.  It  is 
fitting,  therefore,  that  the  narrative  should  open  with  a 
scene  in  the  Temple  at  the  hour  of  incense  and  with  a  divine 
promise  which  fills  a  heart  with  rapturous  joy.  This  prom- 
ise concerns  the  birth  of  one  who  is  to  prepare  the  way  for 
t  he  ministry  of  Christ,  and  this  ministry  forms  the  sum  and 
substance  of  the  gospel  story. 

The  time  was  "inthedaysof  Herod,"  called  "the  Great," 
a  monster  of  cruelty,  a  vassal  of  Rome,  who  ruled  the  Jews 
with  savage  tyranny.  The  political  slavery  of  the  people 
was  only  less  pitiful  than  their  spiritual  decline,  for  religion 
had  become  an  empty  form,  a  mere  system  of  ceremonies 
and  rites.  However,  God  is  never  without  his  witnesses 
and  his  true  worshipers.  Among  these  were  "a  certain 
priest  named  Zacharias"  and  his  wife  Elisabeth,  who  lived 
in  the  hill  country  of  Judea,  south  of  Jerusalem.  They 
"were  both  righteous  before  God,"  not  sinless  but  without 
reproach,  carefully  observing  the  moral  and  also  the  ritual 
requirements  of  the  law.  Yet  godliness  is  no  guarantee 
against  sorrow  or  against  the  disappointment  of  human 
hopes,  and  these  pious  souls  were  saddened  because  their 
home  was  childless.  This  trial  was  peculiarly  great  among 
a  people  who  regarded  childlessness  as  a  sign  of  divine  dis- 
pleasure and  it  was  even  more  distressing  to  the  hearts  of 
the  faithful  who  were  yearning  for  the  birth  of  the  prom- 
ised Messiah. 

Twice  each  year  Zacharias  went  to  Jerusalem  to  perform 
for  a  week  his  sacred  tasks.  Finally  there  came  to  him  a 
privilege  which  a  priest  could  enjoy  only  once  in  his  life- 


Luke  1:22-25      BIRTH  OF  JOHN  FORETOLD  21 

time;  the  "lot"  fell  upon  him,  and  he  thus  was  chosen  to 
enter  the  Holy  Place  at  the  hour  of  prayer  and  there  offer 
incense  upon  the  golden  altar  just  before  the  veil  in  the  very 
presence  of  God.  It  was  the  supreme  hour  of  his  life.  As 
the  cloud  of  perfume  began  to  rise,  true  symbol  of  accepted 
petitions,  an  angel  appeared  and  assured  the  startled  priest 
that  his  supplications  had  been  heard.  For  what  had 
Zacharias  then  been  praying — for  a  son,  or  for  the  salvation 
of  his  people  ?  Were  not  both  desires  included  in  that  sup- 
plication ?  As  the  representative  of  a  nation,  the  priest 
hardly  could  have  confined  his  petition  to  what  was  purely 
personal  and  private.  Yet,  as  he  pleaded  for  the  coming  of 
the  Messiah,  there  must  have  been  in  his  soul  the  secret 
yearning  of  the  long  years  or  the  memory  of  that  abandoned 
hope  which  he  had  always  associated  in  thought  with  the 
salvation  of  Israel.  Many  a  minister  of  Christ  has  a 
similar  experience;  in  the  very  performance  of  his  public 
tasks  there  rests  on  his  soul  the  conscious  shadow  of  some 
private  grief. 

The  angel  declared  that  the  prayer  for  national  salva- 
tion had  been  heard,  and  he  gradually  unfolded  the  con- 
tents of  the  divine  answer;  the  Messiah  was  about  to  ap- 
pear, and  his  coming  was  to  be  heralded  by  a  son  who  was 
to  be  born  to  the  aged  priest.  The  angel  spoke  with  great 
definiteness:  the  child  would  be  named  John;  many  would 
rejoice  at  his  birth;  he  would  be  a  Nazirite,  and  as  such 
would  take  the  vow  of  total  abstinence  from  wine  and  of 
complete  dedication  to  God ;  as  a  consequence  of  this  dedi- 
cation he  would  be  filled  with  the  divine  Spirit  and  thus 
enabled  to  lead  his  people  to  repentance.  He  would  labor 
in  the  spirit  and  power  of  Elijah,  calling  men  to  lives  of  nat- 
ural affection  and  justice  and  preparing  them  for  the  salva- 
tion which  Christ  would  bring. 

So  surprising  a  message  was  too  great  to  be  credited  at 
once  by  the  wondering  priest.  He  had  ceased  to  hope  that 
the  longing  of  his  heart  could  be  fulfilled.  He  therefore 
asked  for  a  sign  by  which  he  might  be  assured  that  the 
blessed  promise  was  true.  The  angel  replied  with  a  state- 
ment of  his  own  majestic  power  and  the  glory  of  his  mission 
and  he  granted  to  Zacharias  a  sign.     This  sign  was  at  once 


22  THE  CHILDHOOD  OF  JESUS  Luke  1 :  26-31 

a  rebuke  and  a  blessing.  It  rebuked  the  unbelief  of  the 
aged  priest,  yet  it  strengthened  his  faith.  He  was  smit- 
ten with  dumbness  which  was  to  continue  until  the  promise 
of  the  angel  had  been  realized.  Zacharias  would  not  ac- 
cept the  word  of  the  Lord ;  he  would  not  praise  him  for  his 
goodness  and  his  grace.  Therefore,  his  tongue  was  to  be 
silent  and  he  was  to  be  unable  to  speak  until  at  last  his  lips 
were  opened  in  glad  thanksgiving.  Unbelief  is  never  joy- 
ous; infidelity  has  no  songs. 

However,  the  sign  suggests  supernatural  power.  The 
faith  of  Zacharias  and  also  of  Elisabeth  will  be  strengthened 
by  the  very  silence  in  their  home.  So  when  the  people  in 
the  court  of  the  Temple  waited  for  the  priest  to  reappear, 
when  as  he  came  they  still  waited  for  the  usual  benediction, 
when  they  found  that  Zacharias  had  been  stricken  with 
dumbness,  they  concluded  he  had  seen  a  vision  in  the  Tem- 
ple, and  he  himself  was  assured  that  the  messenger  had 
come  from  God.  In  due  time  the  promise  was  fulfilled;  a 
new  life  came  into  being.  Meanwhile,  until  it  would  be 
evident  that  her  "reproach"  for  childlessness  had  been 
taken  away,  Elisabeth  lived  in  strict  retirement.  She 
would  not  have  others,  by  seeing  her,  think  that  she  was 
under  divine  displeasure  at  the  very  time  when  she  secretly 
knew  that  she  was  a  special  recipient  of  divine  grace.  She 
was  jealous  for  the  glory  of  her  God;  she  delighted  in  her 
hidden  fellowship  with  him.  From  the  homes  of  such 
priests  who  can  pray,  and  of  such  hearts  which  can  trust, 
there  ever  have  been  coming  the  great  prophets  of  the 
Lord. 

B.  THE  ANNUNCIATION  TO  MARY,    Ch.  1:  26-38 

26  Now  in  the  sixth  month  the  angel  Gabriel  was  sent  from 
God  unto  a  city  of  Galilee,  named  Nazareth,  27  to  a  virgin 
betrothed  to  a  man  whose  name  was  Joseph,  of  the  house  of 
David;  and  the  virgin's  name  was  Mary.  28  And  he  came  in 
unto  her,  and  said,  Hail,  thou  that  art  highly  favored,  the 
Lord  is  with  thee.  29  But  she  was  greatly  troubled  at  the 
saying,  and  cast  in  her  mind  what  [manner  of  salutation  this 
might  be.  30  And  the  angel  said  unto  her,  Fear  not,  Mary: 
for  thou  hast  found  favor  with  God.    31  And  behold,  thou 


Luke  1:32-38       ANNUNCIATION  TO  MARY  23 

shalt  conceive  in  thy  womb,  and  bring  forth  a  son,  and  shalt 
call  his  name  JESUS.  32  He  shall  be  great,  and  shall  be  called 
the  Son  of  the  Most  High:  and  the  Lord  God  shall  give  unto 
him  the  throne  of  his  father  David:  33  and  he  shall  reign  over 
the  house  of  Jacob  for  ever;  and  of  his  kingdom  there  shall 
be  no  end.  34  And  Mary  said  unto  the  angel,  How  shall  this 
be,  seeing  I  know  not  a  man?  35  And  the  angel  answered 
and  said  unto  her,  The  Holy  Spirit  shall  come  upon  thee,  and 
the  power  of  the  Most  High  shall  overshadow  thee:  wherefore 
also  the  holy  thing  which  is  begotten  shall  be  called  the  Son 
of  God.  36  And  behold,  Elisabeth  thy  kinswoman,  she  also 
hath  conceived  a  son  in  her  old  age;  and  this  is  the  sixth 
month  with  her  that  was  called  barren.  37  For  no  word 
from  God  shall  be  void  of  power.  38  And  Mary  said,  Behold, 
the  handmaid  of  the  Lord;  be  it  unto  me  according  to  thy 
word.    And  the  angel  departed  from  her. 

The  prediction  to  Mary  of  the  birth  of  Jesus  is  recorded 
by  Luke  with  marked  dignity,  delicacy,  and  reserve.  It  is 
an  important  record.  This  prediction  is  the  crown  of  all 
prophecy  and  it  reveals  the  supreme  mystery  of  the  Chris- 
tian faith,  namely,  the  nature  of  our  Lord,  at  once  human 
and  divine. 

The  same  angelic  being  who  had  spoken  to  Zacharias 
speaks  again,  not  now  to  an  aged  and  distinguished  priest 
amidst  the  splendors  of  the  Temple  in  Jerusalem,  but  to  a 
humble  maiden  betrothed  to  a  carpenter  in  an  obscure  vil- 
lage of  Galilee.  The  angelic  salutation,  "Hail,  thou  that 
art  highly  favored,"  has  been  translated  less  accurately, 
"Hail,  thou  that  art  full  of  grace,"  and  it  has  been  misin- 
terpreted to  encourage  the  practice  of  praying  to  the  virgin 
as  divine.  It  does  not  mean,  however,  that  Mary  was  to 
be  a  source  but  rather  a  recipient  of  grace;  upon  her  God 
was  bestowing  peculiar  favor.  She  may  rightly  be  re- 
garded as  the  most  blessed  among  women;  but  only  a 
woman  still. 

Mary  had  been  startled  by  so  strange  an  appearance  and 
greeting;  now  she  was  further  amazed  by  the  announce- 
ment,'Thou  shalt  .  .  .  bring  forth  a  son,  and  shalt  call  his 
name  Jesus."  Before  her  marriage  she  was  to  become  a 
mother,  and  she  was  to  call  her  child  by  that  significant 
name  which  signifies  "Saviour"  or  "God  is  Saviour."     "He 


24  THE  CHILDHOOD  OF  JESUS  L.ke  1:  32-38 

shall  be  great,"  continued  the  angel,  "both  in  his  person,  as 
"the  Son  of  the  Most  High, "and  in  his  royal  power,  for  "the 
Lord  God  shall  give  unto  him  the  throne  of  his  father  Da- 
vid." This  throne  of  David  does  not  refer  to  the  Christian 
Church  or  to  merely  heavenly  or  spiritual  influence.  It  is 
a  rule  on  earth  which  here  is  promised,  yet  it  is  not  to  be 
limited  to  one  nation  nor  is  it  to  be  confined  to  one  age.  It 
is  the  Kingdom  of  the  Messiah,  which  is  to  bring  joy  to  "the 
house  of  Jacob  for  ever"  and  also  to  all  the  nations  of  thc 
world — "and  of  his  kingdom  there  shall  be  no  end." 

The  exclamation  of  Mary  expressed  astonishment  but 
not  unbelief:  "How  shall  this  be?"  Then  came  the  answer 
which  is  unsurpassed  as  a  clear  and  sublime  statement  of 
the  incarnation,  "The  Holy  Spirit  shall  come  upon  thee, 
and  the  power  of  the  Most  High  shall  overshadow  thee;" 
the  creative  power  of  God  was  to  rest  upon  Mary  as  the 
cloud  of  glory  had  rested  upon  the  tabernacle  of  Israel  and 
as  a  result  the  child  who  would  be  born  should  be  in  reality, 
and  should  be  called,  "the  Son  of  God."  Of  the  truth  of 
his  promise  the  angel  added  a  sign  and  proof  in  the  sur- 
prising fact  that  Elisabeth,  the  aged  kinswoman  of  Mary, 
was  soon  to  be  blessed  with  a  son.  This  was  in  fulfillment 
of  a  promise  made  by  the  same  angel  messenger,  and  the 
marvel  in  the  case  of  Elisabeth  would  assure  Mary  of  the 
certain  accomplishment  of  the  gracious  and  more  surprising 
promise  to  her.  The  reply  of  Mary  is  probably  unequaled 
in  all  history  as  an  expression  of  perfect  faith,  "Behold 
the  handmaid  of  the  Lord;  be  it  unto  me  according  to  thy 
word."  Thus  she  revealed  belief  in  the  word  of  God  and 
submission  to  the  will  of  God.  There  was  no  doubt  in  her 
mind  as  to  the  truth  of  the  divine  promise  with  all  that  it 
suggested  of  miracle  and  of  mystery;  and  there  was  no 
shrinking  on  her  part  from  all  that  the  fulfillment  of  this 
promise  possibly  might  involve  of  suspicion  and  shame  and 
reproach  and  suffering  and  even  death.  Those  who  be- 
lieve most  firmly  in  the  promises  of  God,  submit  most  pa- 
tiently to  his  providences;  they  see  the  glory  which  surely 
will  succeed  the  gloom.  Mary  was  to  become  the  mother 
of  the  Messiah,  of  the  Son  of  Man,  of  the  Saviour  of  the 
world. 


Luke  1:39-56        THE  "MAGNIFICAT"  25 

C.  THE  "MAGNIFICAT."    Ch.  1:  39-56 

39  And  Mary  arose  in  these  days  and  went  into  the  hill 
country  with  haste,  into  a  city  of  Judah ;  40  and  entered  into 
the  house  of  Zacharias  and  saluted  Elisabeth.  41  And  it  came 
to  pass,  when  Elisabeth  heard  the  salutation  of  Mary,  the 
babe  leaped  in  her  womb;  and  Elisabeth  was  filled  with  the 
Holy  Spirit;  42  and  she  lifted  up  her  voice  with  a  loud  cry, 
and  said,  Blessed  art  thou  among  women,  and  blessed  is  the 
fruit  of  thy  womb.  43  And  whence  is  this  to  me,  that  the 
mother  of  my  Lord  should  come  unto  me? 

44  For  behold,  when  the  voice  of  thy  salutation  came  into 
mine  ears,  the  babe  leaped  in  my  womb  for  joy.  45  And 
blessed  is  she  that  believeth;  for  there  shall  be  a  fulfilment 
of  the  things  which  have  been  spoken  to  her  from  the  Lord. 

46  And  Mary  said, 

My  soul  doth  magnify  the  Lord, 

47  And  my  spirit  hath  rejoiced  in  God  my  Saviour. 

48  For  he  hath  looked  upon  the  low  estate  of  his  handmaid : 
For  behold,  from  henceforth  all  generations  shall  call  me 

blessed. 

49  For  he  that  is  mighty  hath  done  to  me  great  things; 
And  holy  is  his  name. 

50  And  his  mercy  is  unto  generations  and  generations 
On  them  that  fear  him. 

51  He  hath  showed  strength  with  his  arm; 

He  hath  scattered  the  proud  in  the  imagination  of  their 
heart. 

52  He  hath  put  down  princes  from  their  thrones, 
And  hath  exalted  them  of  low  degree. 

53  The  hungry  he  hath  filled  with  good  things ; 
And  the  rich  he  hath  sent  empty  away. 

54  He  hath  given  help  to  Israel  his  servant, 
That  he  might  remember  mercy 

55  (As  he  spake  unto  our  fathers) 
Toward  Abraham  and  his  seed  for  ever. 

56  And  Mary  abode  with  her  about  three  months,  and  re- 
turned unto  her  house. 

The  Magnificat,  the  lovely  lyric  which  comes  from  the 
lips  of  Mary,  has  been  sung  during  many  centuries  as  one  of 
the  chief  canticles  of  the  Christian  Church.  Its  occasion 
was  a  visit  paid  to  her  kinswoman,  Elisabeth,  by  Mary 
shortly  after  she  had  received  the  promise  of  the  birth 
of  a  son.     Elisabeth  on  hearing  the   salutation   of   Mary 


26  THE  CHILDHOOD  OF  JESUS  Luke  1:  39-56 

addressed  her  in  high  spiritual  ecstasy,  declaring  her  su- 
premely blessed  among  women  because  of  the  Son  to  be 
born,  and  wondering  at  her  own  honor  in  being  thus  visited 
by  the  mother  of  her  Lord,  by  which  phrase  she  means 
the  mother  of  the  Messiah ;  it  is  to  be  noted  that  the  Bible 
does  not  contain  the  phrase  "Mother  of  God."  Elisabeth 
congratulated  Mary  upon  her  faith  and  assured  her  that 
the  promise  upon  which  Mary  relied  was  certain  to  be 
fulfilled. 

The  name  of  the  song  which  Mary  then  sang,  the  Mag- 
nificat, has  come  from  the  first  line  in  its  Latin  form, 
Magnificat  anima  mea  Dominum.  The  model  is  that  of 
the  ancient  hymn  sung  by  Hannah  when  her  heart,  like 
that  of  Mary,  was  rejoicing  in  the  promised  gift  of  a  son. 
The  verses  form  a  perfect  mosaic  of  Old  Testament  quo- 
tations. The  hymn  was  not  addressed  to  Elisabeth  or  to 
the  Lord;  it  is  rather  a  meditation  upon  the  mercy  and 
grace  of  God. 

According  to  the  common  division  the  song  is  composed 
of  four  stanzas  of  four  lines  each,  except  the  third  stanza 
which  contains  six  lines.  The  general  movement  of 
thought  seems  to  be  from  the  goodness  of  God  to  Mary 
as  an  individual,  to  his  consequent  kindness  to  Israel  as 
a  nation. 

The  first  stanza,  or  strophe,  vs.  46-48,  illustrates,  as  do 
those  which  follow,  one  of  the  chief  features  of  Hebrew 
poetry,  namely,  the  expression,  in  successive  lines,  of 
thoughts  which  are  parallel  or  closely  related.  In  her 
"soul"  or  "spirit"  or  innermost  being,  Mary  praises  or 
magnifies  the  Lord  and  rejoices  in  him  as  her  Saviour.  This 
salvation  is  not  only  for  her  people,  but  particularly  for 
herself;  it  is  not  only  political  but  also  spiritual.  It  is  to  be 
wrought  out  by  the  gift  God  is  granting  to  Mary.  He  has 
chosen  her,  an  obscure  village  maiden  betrothed  to  a  poor 
carpenter,  and  has  bestowed  upon  her  such  honor  that  all 
future  generations  will  call  her  "blessed."  While  realizing 
the  honor  she  dwells  most  upon  her  unworthiness  while 
recognizing  what  it  may  cost  her,  she  declares  her  submis- 
sion as  a  true  "bondmaid"  or  slave  of  the  Lord.  Humility 
and  faith  could  hardly  be  more  sublime. 


Luke  1:57-63        THE  BIRTH  OF  JOHN  27 

The  second  stanza,  vs.  49,  50,  centers  the  thought  upon 
the  character  of  God  as  revealed  in  his  gracious  gift.  His 
power,  his  holiness,  his  mercy  are  praised.  In  his  goodness 
to  Mary  he  had  shown  his  divine  power,  yet  in  accordance 
with  the  moral  perfection  of  his  revealed  nature  and  in 
order  to  bring  blessings  to  countless  generations  who  would 
trust  and  reverence  him. 

In  the  third  stanza,  vs.  51-53,  is  an  illustration  of  another 
feature  of  Hebrew  poetry;  not  only  is  there  striking  paral- 
lelism, but  here  past  tenses  are  used  to  describe  future  events; 
the  results  of  the  coming  of  the  Messiah  are  stated  as 
though  already  achieved.  In  contrast  with  the  blessed- 
ness of  those  that  fear  the  Lord ,  "the  proud,"  the  rebellious, 
and  unbelieving  are  pictured  as  "scattered"  like  the  hosts 
of  a  defeated  army ;  the  oppressed  are  exalted  while  tyrants 
are  dethroned;  the  hungry  are  filled  and  the  rich  are  sent 
away  "empty."  These  results  are  to  be  regarded  as  spirit- 
ual as  well  as  physical.  Such  reversals  are  certain  to  occur 
where  Christ  is  accepted  and  those  who  receive  blessings 
from  him  are  the  humble  who  are  conscious  of  their  need. 

The  last  strophe,  vs.  54,  55,  emphasizes  the  faithfulness 
of  God  to  his  ancient  promises  which  Mary  sees  fulfilled  in 
the  birth  of  her  Son.  In  this  saving  help  given  to  Israel, 
God  is  showing  that  he  has  not  forgotten  the  mercy  "to- 
ward Abraham  and  his  seed"  promised  to  the  "fathers"  of 
old.  Only  in  Christ  Jesus  can  be  realized  all  the  promises 
to  Israel,  all  the  hopes  of  the  ages. 

D.  THE  BIRTH  OF  JOHN,  AND  THE  "BENEDICTUS" 
Ch.  1:  57-80 

57  Now  Elisabeth's  time  was  fulfilled  that  she  should  be 
delivered;  and  she  brought  forth  a  son.  58  And  her  neigh- 
bors and  her  kinsfolk  heard  that  the  Lord  had  magnified  his 
mercy  towards  her;  and  they  rejoiced  with  her.  59  And  it 
came  to  pass  on  the  eighth  day,  that  they  came  to  circumcise 
the  child;  and  they  would  have  called  him  Zacharias,  after 
the  name  of  his  father.  60  And  his  mother  answered  and 
said,  Not  so;  but  he  shall  be  called  John.  61  And  they  said 
unto  her,  There  is  none  of  thy  kindred  that  is  called  by  this 
name.  62  And  they  made  signs  to  his  father,  what  he  would 
have  him  called.    63  And  he  asked  for  a  writing  tablet,  and 


28  THE  CHILDHOOD  OF  JESUS  Luke  1:  64-80 

wrote,  saying,  His  name  is  John.  And  they  marvelled  all 
64  And  his  mouth  was  opened  immediately,  and  his  tongue 
loosed,  and  he  spake,  blessing  God.  65  And  fear  came  on  all 
that  dwelt  round  about  them:  and  all  these  sayings  were 
noised  abroad  throughout  all  the  hill  country  of  Judaea.  66 
And  all  that  heard  them  laid  them  up  in  their  heart,  saying, 
What  then  shall  this  child  be?  For  the  hand  of  the  Lord 
was  with  him. 

67  And  his  father  Zacharias  was  filled  with  the  Holy 
Spirit,  and  prophesied,  saying, 

68  Blessed  be  the  Lord,  the  God  of  Israel; 

For  he  hath  visited  and  wrought  redemption  for  his  people, 

69  And  hath  raised  up  a  horn  of  salvation  for  us 
In  the  house  of  his  servant  David 

70  (As  he  spake  by  the  mouth  of  his  holy  prophets  that  have 
been  from  of  old), 

71  Salvation  from  our  enemies,  and  from  the  hand  of  all 
that  hate  us ; 

72  To  show  mercy  towards  our  fathers, 
And  to  remember  his  holy  covenant; 

73  The  oath  which  he  sware  unto  Abraham  our  father, 

74  To  grant  unto  us  that  we  being  delivered  out  of  the  hand 
of  our  enemies 

Should  serve  him  without  fear, 

75  In  holiness  and  righteousness  before  him  all  our  days. 

76  Yea  and  thou,  child,  shalt  be  called  the  prophet  of  the 
Most  High: 

For  thou  shalt  go  before  the  face  of  the  Lord  to  make 
ready  his  ways ; 

77  To  give  knowledge  of  salvation  unto  his  people 
In  the  remission  of  their  sins, 

78  Because  of  the  tender  mercy  of  our  God, 
Whereby  the  dayspring  from  on  high  shall  visit  us, 

79  To  shine  upon  them  that  sit  in  darkness  and  the  shadow 
of  death ; 

To  guide  our  feet  into  the  way  of  peace. 
80  And  the  child  grew,  and  waxed   strong  in  spirit,  and 
was  in  the  deserts  till  the  day  of  his  showing  unto  Israel. 

When  the  aged  priest,  Zacharias,  had  received  from  an 
angel  the  promise  that  he  was  to  be  given  a  son  who  would 
be  called  John  and  who  would  be  the  herald  of  Christ,  and 
when  he  had  asked  for  a  sign  to  attest  the  truth  of  the  pre- 
diction, he  was  smitten  with  dumbness  as  a  rebuke  for  his 


Luke  1:63-80        THE  BIRTH  OF  JOHN  29 

unbelief  and  as  a  stimulus  for  his  faith.  Even  when  at  last 
the  promise  was  fulfilled,  the  sign  was  not  removed  and  he 
was  not  able  to  speak  until  he  had  given  a  written  expres- 
sion of  his  confidence  in  God.  This  interesting  incident 
occurred  on  the  eighth  day  after  the  birth  of  John,  when  in 
the  presence  of  their  rejoicing  friends  the  parents  were 
about  to  name  the  child.  Many  supposed  that  the  name 
of  the  father  would  be  selected.  The  mother,  however, 
intimated  that  the  name  might  be  "John."  When  Zacha- 
rias,  the  father,  was  consulted,  "he  asked  for  a  writing 
tablet,  and  wrote,  .  .  .  His  name  is  John."  There  was  no 
hesitation,  no  uncertainty,  no  question  in  his  mind,  for  this 
name  had  been  predicted  by  the  angel,  and  Zacharias 
showed  by  his  decision  and  firmness  that  he  believed  abso- 
lutely in  the  fulfillment  of  all  that  the  angel  had  promised 
concerning  the  career  of  the  son  who  was  to  be  regarded  by 
his  fellow  men  as  a  gift  of  divine  grace  and  a  prophet  of  di- 
vine appointment.  It  usually  happens  that  a  public  con- 
fession of  faith  results  in  new  joy  and  in  wider  testimony.  It 
was  surely  so  in  the  case  of  Zacharias:  "His  mouth  was 
opened  immediately,  .  .  .  and  he  spake,  blessing  God." 
His  thanksgiving  was  voiced  in  a  hymn  which,  for  hundreds 
of  years,  has  been  sung  daily  in  Christian  worship.  It  is 
indeed  a  Christian  hymn  and  a  hymn  of  the  nativity;  for 
while  its  occasion  was  the  birth  of  John,  only  one  stanza 
refers  to  that  event ;  the  whole  burden  of  the  thanksgiving 
refers  to  the  approaching  birth  of  Jesus  and  to  the  salvation 
which  he  is  to  bring. 

This  hymn  is  named  the  Benedictus  from  the  first  word 
in  the  Latin  version.  It  is  an  ecstatic  expression  of  grati- 
tude to  God  for  his  boundless  goodness.  The  poem  pos- 
sibly may  be  divided  into  five  stanzas  of  four  lines  each ;  but 
there  is  a  definite  pause  after  the  third  of  these  stanzas 
when  the  thought  turns  from  the  work  of  Christ  to  the 
specific  mission  of  John. 

The  first  strophe,  vs.  68,  69,  speaks  of  the  redemption  of 
Israel  as  already  accomplished  in  the  gift  of  the  Christ  who 
is  about  to  be  born  and  who  is  described  as  "a  horn  of  sal- 
vation," that  is,  a  manifestation  of  saving  power.  He  is  to 
appear  as  a  son  and  heir  of  David  the  king. 


30  THE  CHILDHOOD  OF  JESUS       Luke  2 :  1-4 

The  second  stanza,  or  strophe,  vs.  70-72,  indicates  that 
the  salvation  from  all  enemies  is  in  fulfillment  of  the  prom- 
ises made  through  the  prophets  and  cherished  by  the  an- 
cient fathers  and  embodied  in  the  holy  covenant  made  with 
Israel  of  old. 

The  third  stanza,  vs.  73-75,  describes  the  nature  of  this 
salvation  which  was  assured  by  the  oath  to  Abraham ;  it  is 
to  be  such  a  deliverance  from  political  oppression  as  to 
make  possible  for  Israel  a  true,  priestly  service  of  God,  as  a 
nation  holy  and  righteous  before  him. 

In  the  fourth  stanza,  vs.  76,  77,  the  singer  turns  to  ad- 
dress his  own  son  whose  birth  has  given  occasion  to  the 
song.  He  declares  that  John  is  to  be  recognized  as  a 
prophet  of  God  whose  divine  mission  will  be  to  announce 
and  to  define  the  promised  salvation  as  in  its  essence  not  a 
political  but  a  spiritual  redemption  consisting  in  the  re- 
mission of  sin.  John  was  not  to  be  a  revolutionist  but  a 
reformer.  He  was  to  call  a  nation  to  repentance  that  those 
who  obeyed  his  message  might  be  ready  to  receive  the  sal- 
vation of  Christ. 

This  mission  of  John  is  linked  with  that  of  Christ  as  the 
description  of  the  latter  reaches  its  climax  in  the  closing 
strophe.  Vs.  78,  79.  The  source  of  all  the  blessings  Christ 
will  bring  is  found  in  "the  tender  mercy  of  our  God" ;  the  es- 
sence is  a  visitation  of  "the  dayspring  from  on  high,"  when 
the  Sun  of  righteousness  arises  upon  the  helpless,  terrified 
wanderers  of  the  night  who  are  seated  "in  darkness  and  the 
shadow  of  death";  the  result  will  be  "to  guide  our  feet  into 
the  way  of  peace." 

Such  is  the  hymn  of  Zacharias,  a  hymn  of  faith,  of  hope, 
of  gratitude,  a  song  of  the  salvation  provided  by  the  love 
of  God  in  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord. 

E.  THE  BIRTH  OF  JESUS.    Ch.  2:1-20 

1  Now  it  came  to  pass  in  those  days,  there  went  out  a  de- 
cree from  Caesar  Augustus,  that  all  the  world  should  be  en- 
rolled. 2  This  was  the  first  enrolment  made  when  Quirinius 
was  governor  of  Syria.  3  And  all  went  to  enrol  themselves, 
every  one  to  his  own  city.  4  And  Joseph  also  went  up  from 
Galilee,  out  of  the  city  of  Nazareth,  into  Judaea,  to  the  city 


Luke  2: 5-20         THE  BIRTH  OF  JESUS  31 

of  David,  which  is  called  Bethlehem,  because  he  was  of  the 
house  and  family  of  David;  5  to  enrol  himself  with  Mary, 
who  was  betrothed  to  him,  being  great  with  child.  6  And  it 
came  to  pass,  while  they  were  there,  the  days  were  fulfilled 
that  she  should  be  delivered.  7  And  she  brought  forth  her 
firstborn  son;  and  she  wrapped  him  in  swaddling  clothes,  and 
laid  him  in  a  manger,  because  there  was  no  room  for  them 
in  the  inn. 

8  And  there  were  shepherds  in  the  same  country  abiding 
in  the  field,  and  keeping  watch  by  night  over  their  flock.  9 
And  an  angel  of  the  Lord  stood  by  them,  and  the  glory  of  the 
Lord  shone  round  about  them:  and  they  were  sore  afraid. 
10  And  the  angel  said  unto  them,  Be  not  afraid;  for  behold, 
I  bring  you  good  tidings  of  great  joy  which  shall  be  to  all  the 
people:  11  for  there  is  born  to  you  this  day  in  the  city  of 
David  a  Saviour,  who  is  Christ  the  Lord.  12  And  this  is  the 
sign  unto  you:  Ye  shall  find  a  babe  wrapped  in  swaddling 
clothes,  and  lying  in  a  manger.  13  And  suddenly  there  was 
with  the  angel  a  multitude  of  the  heavenly  host  praising  God, 
and  saying, 
14  Glory  to  God  in  the  highest, 

And  on  earth  peace  among  men  in  whom  he  is  well  pleased. 
15  And  it  came  to  pass,  when  the  angels  went  away  from 
them  into  heaven,  the  shepherds  said  one  to  another,  Let  us 
now  go  even  unto  Bethlehem,  and  see  this  thing  that  is  come 
to  pass,  which  the  Lord  hath  made  known  unto  us.  16  And 
they  came  with  haste,  and  found  both  Mary  and  Joseph,  and 
the  babe  lying  in  the  manger.  17  And  when  they  saw  it, 
they  made  known  concerning  the  saying  which  was  spoken 
to  them  about  this  child.  18  And  all  that  heard  it  wondered 
at  the  things  which  were  spoken  unto  them  by  the  shepherds. 
19  But  Mary  kept  all  these  sayings,  pondering  them  in  her 
heart.  20  And  the  shepherds  returned,  glorifying  and  prais- 
ing God  for  all  the  things  that  they  had  heard  and  seen,  even 
as  it  was  spoken  unto  them. 

The  story  of  the  birth  of  Jesus  as  related  by  Matthew  is 
in  striking  contrast  with  that  of  Luke.  Matthew  depicts 
Jesus  as  a  King  and  at  his  birth  the  reigning  Herod  trem- 
bles on  his  throne  and  the  Magi  adore  him,  offering  regal 
gifts.  Luke  represents  Jesus  as  the  ideal  Man,  and  the 
story  is  full  of  human  interest.  It  describes  two  obscure 
peasants  journeying  from  their  northern  home  in  Nazareth 
to  Bethlehem  and  there,  excluded  from  the  inn,  placing  in 


32  THE  CHILDHOOD  OF  JESUS    Luke  2:  5-20 

a  manger  their  newborn  babe,  while  the  first  to  visit  them 
are  humble  shepherds  from  the  neighboring  plain.  Human 
interests,  however,  are  not  merely  earthly  interests;  the 
story  is  vocal  with  heavenly  melodies  and  inwoven  with 
messages  of  divine  meaning  and  grace. 

Only  the  most  recent  scholarship  has  vindicated  the  his- 
toric accuracy  of  Luke  in  connecting  the  event  with  the 
decree  of  Augustus  and  with  the  enrollment  under  Quiri- 
nius.  However,  these  facts  are  mentioned  by  Luke  not  so 
much  to  fix  the  date  of  the  birth  of  Christ  as  to  explain  how 
this  occurred  in  Bethlehem  when  the  home  of  his  parents 
was  in  Nazareth.  Only  a  legal  necessity  would  have  made 
them  willing  to  take  such  a  journey  at  such  a  time,  but 
thus  it  appears  that  the  emperor  of  the  world  was  con- 
cerned unconsciously  in  the  fulfillment  of  divine  prophecy 
concerning  the  Saviour  of  the  world.  According  to  the 
imperial  decree,  Joseph  left  Nazareth  and  with  Mary,  to 
whom  according  to  Matthew  he  was  not  only  "betrothed" 
but  married,  journeyed  to  Bethlehem,  five  miles  south  of 
Jerusalem,  to  be  enrolled  in  his  ancestral  city.  There  is 
born  their  promised  Son.  Their  exclusion  from  the  inn 
was  not  due  to  any  lack  of  hospitality;  much  less  did  it  ex- 
press hostility  to  Jesus;  it  was  due  simply  to  the  crowded 
condition  of  the  town.  However,  it  is  suggestive  of  the 
obscurity  and  discomfort  and  poverty  of  Joseph  and  Mary. 

In  view  of  his  evident  appreciation  of  the  supreme  im- 
portance of  the  birth  of  Jesus,  the  account  of  Luke  is  almost 
startling  in  its  brevity  and  simplicity.  However,  with  con- 
summate art,  after  his  own  short  statement  of  fact,  he  al- 
lows divine  messengers  to  give  the  interpretation  and  to 
express  the  significance  of  the  event.  These  messengers 
were  angels.  They  appeared  to  a  group  of  shepherds  who 
were  "abiding  in  the  field,  and  keeping  watch  by  night  over 
their  flock."  Out  of  a  blaze  of  heavenly  glory  came  the 
tidings  of  great  joy  to  Israel,  "There  is  born  to  you  this  day 
in  the  city  of  David  a  Saviour,  who  is  Christ  the  Lord." 
The  angel  did  not  then  disclose  the  larger  truth,  that  this 
Christ  was  to  be  the  redeemer  of  all  men  or  that  he  was  a 
divine  Lord.  However,  a  sign  was  given  whereby  the  shep- 
herds might  be  able  to  distinguish  the  child  and  to  be 


Luke  2: 21-24       PRESENTATION  OF  JESUS  33 

assured  that  he  was  the  Christ:  "Ye  shall  find  a  babe 
wrapped  in  swaddling  clothes,  and  lying  in  a  manger."  A 
strange  sign  it  was;  yet  for  us  it  has  become  a  symbol  full  of 
meaning;  a  Redeemer  who  was  cradled  in  a  manger  has 
known  what  it  is  to  endure  poverty  and  suffering  and 
neglect,  and  now  he  can  sympathize  with  the  lowly  and 
distressed  even  as  he  is  abundantly  able  to  save. 

When  the  good  news  had  been  given,  there  suddenly 
swelled  forth  an  angel  chorus,  singing  that  great  hymn  of 
the  nativity  which,  as  subsequently  expanded  by  Chris- 
tian worshipers,  is  named  from  its  Latin  version,  the 
Gloria  in  Excelsis.  As  sung  by  the  angels  it  is  composed 
of  two  verses,  each  containing  three  corresponding  notes, 
"glory"  and  "peace",  "in  the  highest"  (heaven)  and  "on 
earth,"  "God,"  and  "men."  This  is  a  hymn  of  praise  to 
God  who  in  the  gift  of  a  Saviour  manifests  in  heaven  his 
excellence  and  on  earth  reveals  his  grace  to  men,  the  recip- 
ients of  his  favor.  The  result  of  this,  however,  is  declared 
to  be  "peace";  in  Christ  alone  can  peace  be  secured — peace 
with  God,  peace  for  the  human  heart,  peace  between  men, 
peace  for  the  world. 

The  astonished  shepherds  hastened  to  verify  the  good 
news  and  they  became  in  a  real  sense  the  first  witnesses  for 
Christ  as  "they  made  known  concerning  the  saying  which 
was  spoken  to  them  about  this  child."  It  is  not  strange 
that  all  who  heard  wondered,  or  that  Mary  treasured  in  her 
heart  the  heavenly  messages,  or  that  the  shepherds  re- 
turned to  their  tasks  with  gratitude  and  praise,  for  there 
lingered  in  their  memories  a  song  which  expresses  still  the 
hope  of  all  mankind. 

F.  THE  PRESENTATION  OF  JESUS,  AND  THE  "NUNC 
DIMITTIS."     Ch.  2:  21-40 

21  And  when  eight  days  were  fulfilled  for  circumcising 
him,  his  name  was  called  JESUS,  who  was  so  called  by  the 
angel  before  he  was  conceived  in  the  womb. 

22  And  when  the  days  of  their  purification  according  to 
the  law  of  Moses  were  fulfilled,  they  brought  him  up  to 
Jerusalem,  to  present  him  to  the  Lord  23  (as  it  is  written  in 
the  law  of  the  Lord,  Every  male  that  openeth  the  womb  shall 
be  called  holy  to  the  Lord),  24  and  to  offer  a  sacrifice  accord- 


34  THE  CHILDHOOD  OF  JESUS  Luke  2:  25-40 

ing  to  that  which  is  said  in  the  law  of  the  Lord,  A  pair  of 
turtledoves,  or  two  young  pigeons.  25  And  behold,  there 
was  a  man  in  Jerusalem,  whose  name  was  Simeon ;  and  this 
man  was  righteous  and  devout,  looking  for  the  consolation 
of  Israel:  and  the  Holy  Spirit  was  upon  him.  26  And  it  had 
been  revealed  unto  him  by  the  Holy  Spirit,  that  he  should 
not  see  death,  before  he  had  seen  the  Lord's  Christ.  27  And 
he  came  in  the  Spirit  into  the  temple  and  when  the  parents 
brought  in  the  child  Jesus,  that  they  might  do  concerning 
him  after  the  custom  of  the  law,  28  then  he  received  him  into 
his  arms,  and  blessed  God,  and  said, 

29  Now  lettest  thou  thy  servant  depart,  O  Lord, 
According  to  thy  word,  in  peace ; 

30  For  mine  eyes  have  seen  thy  salvation, 

31  Which  thou  hast  prepared  before  the  face  of  all  peoples; 

32  A  light  for  revelation  to  the  Gentiles, 
And  the  glory  of  thy  people  Israel. 

33  And  his  father  and  his  mother  were  marvelling  at  the 
things  which  were  spoken  concerning  him;  34  and  Simeon 
blessed  them,  and  said  unto  Mary  his  mother,  Behold,  this 
child  is  set  for  the  falling  and  the  rising  of  many  in  Israel; 
and  for  a  sign  which  is  spoken  against;  35  yea  and  a  sword 
shall  pierce  through  thine  own  soul;  that  thoughts  out  of 
many  hearts  may  be  revealed.  36  And  there  was  one  Anna, 
a  prophetess,  the  daughter  of  Phanuel,  of  the  tribe  of  Asher 
(she  was  of  a  great  age,  having  lived  with  a  husband  seven 
years  from  her  virginity,  37  and  she  had  been  a  widow  even 
unto  fourscore  and  four  years),  who  departed  not  from  the 
temple,  worshipping  with  fastings  and  supplications  night  and 
day.  38  And  coming  up  at  that  very  hour  she  gave  thanks 
unto  God,  and  spake  of  him  to  all  them  that  were  looking  for 
the  redemption  of  Jerusalem.  39  And  when  they  had  accom- 
plished all  things  that  were  according  to  the  law  of  the  Lord, 
they  returned  into  Galilee,  to  their  own  city  Nazareth. 

40  And  the  child  grew,  and  waxed  strong,  filled  with  wis- 
dom :  and  the  grace  of  God  was  upon  him. 

The  incidents  of  the  infancy  of  Jesus  recorded  by  Luke 
not  only  add  human  interest  to  the  story  but  they  interpret 
the  future  career  and  the  saving  work  of  our  Lord.  Thus 
when  on  the  eighth  day  he  was  named  "Jesus,"  a  name 
often  given  to  Jewish  boys,  it  was  because  he  was  destined 
to  fulfill  all  that  the  name  implies,  for  he  was  to  be  the 
"Salvation  of  the  Lord." 


Luke  2: 25-40       PRESENTATION  OF  JESUS  35 

So,  too,  when  five  weeks  later  he  was  presented  in  the 
Temple,  when  his  mother  offered  for  herself  a  sacrifice 
which  indicated  lack  of  wealth  but  not  abject  poverty,  the 
real  significance  of  the  scene  is  set  forth  in  the  prophetic 
utterances  of  the  saintly  Simeon  and  Anna.  The  first  of 
these  utterances  was  the  song  of  Simeon,  called  from  the 
Latin  form  of  its  opening  words  the  Nunc  Dimittis  ("Now 
Lettest  Thou  Depart").  To  this  devout  soul  it  had  been 
revealed  that  he  should  not  die  until  he  had  seen  the  Mes- 
siah, "the  Lord's  Christ."  Led  by  the  Spirit  to  the  Tem- 
ple while  the  parents  of  Jesus  are  there  presenting  their  Son 
before  the  Lord,  he  took  the  little  babe  in  his  arms  and 
sang  the  sweetest  and  most  solemn  song  of  the  nativity, 
which,  unlike  the  Magnificat  or  the  Benedictus,  promises 
redemption  not  only  to  Israel  but  to  all  the  world. 

"Now  lettest  thou  thy  servant  depart  ...  in  peace"; 
the  figure  of  speech  is  full  of  beauty;  it  is  the  word  of  a 
faithful  watchman  who  welcomes  with  joy  the  hour  of  his 
dismissal,  for  he  has  caught  the  vision  of  the  coming  One; 
now  he  is  about  to  be  sent  away  in  the  peace  of  an  accom- 
plished task,  in  the  peace  of  fulfilled  hope;  for  his  eyes  have 
seen  the  Saviour  according  to  the  promise  of  the  Lord.  The 
redemption  which  the  Messiah  brings,  as  the  song  contin- 
ues to  declare,  is  for  all  peoples ;  it  is  a  light  to  reveal  the  way 
of  salvation  to  the  Gentiles;  it  is  to  be  the  true  glory  of  the 
favored  people,  Israel. 

While  this  salvation  is  provided  for  all,  it  will  not  be  ac- 
cepted by  all.  To  the  wondering  mother,  Simeon  uttered 
a  dark  word  of  prophecy.  The  ministry  of  Jesus  will  be  the 
occasion  for  the  fall  and  the  rise  of  many.  Their  attitude 
toward  him  will  be  a  revelation  of  character;  some  will 
reject  him  and  thus  condemn  themselves;  some  will  speak 
against  him,  even  though  he  is  the  very  token  and  instru- 
ment of  divine  salvation ;  this  opposition  will  reach  its  cli- 
max at  the  cross,  when  bitter  anguish  like  a  sword  will 
pierce  the  soul  of  Mary.  Jesus  is  to  be  the  touchstone  of 
character;  wherever  he  is  known,  by  accepting  or  by  re- 
jecting him,  men  will  disclose  their  true  nature;  "the 
thoughts  out  of  many  hearts"  will  be  "revealed." 

While  Mary  and  Joseph  were  still  wondering  at  these 


36  THE  CHILDHOOD  OF  JESUS  Luke  2 :  41-52 

sublime  words  there  appeared  an  aged  prophetess  whose 
long  years  of  widowhood  had  been  spent  in  continual  wor- 
ship; she,  too,  praised  God  for  the  salvation  to  be  accom- 
plished by  the  Child  of  Mary  and  she  went  forth  to  speak  of 
him  to  all  who  like  her  "were  looking  for  the  redemption  of 
Jerusalem." 

Mary  and  Joseph,  however,  returned  to  their  home  in 
Nazareth  where  Jesus  was  to  spend  his  infancy  and  early 
childhood.  During  those  years  of  obscurity  his  develop- 
ment was  normal,  but  unique  in  its  symmetry  and  its  per- 
fection; he  "grew,  and  waxed  strong"  in  body,  but  there 
was  just  as  true  a  growth  in  mind  and  spirit;  he  was  "filled 
with  wisdom:  and  the  grace  of  God  was  upon  him."  The 
Saviour  of  the  world  was  to  be  the  ideal  Man. 

G.  THE  BOY  JESUS  AT  JERUSALEM.     Ch.  2:  41-52 

41  And  his  parents  went  every  year  to  Jerusalem  at  the 
feast  of  the  passover.  42  And  when  he  was  twelve  years  old, 
they  went  up  after  the  custom  of  the  feast;  43  and  when  they 
had  fulfilled  the  days,  as  they  were  returning,  the  boy  Jesus 
tarried  behind  in  Jerusalem;  and  his  parents  knew  it  not; 
44  but  supposing  him  to  be  in  the  company,  they  went  a  day's 
journey;  and  they  sought  for  him  among  their  kinsfolk  and 
acquaintance;  45  and  when  they  found  him  not,  they  returned 
to  Jerusalem,  seeking  for  him.  46  And  it  came  to  pass,  after 
three  days  they  found  him  in  the  temple,  sitting  in  the  midst 
of  the  teachers,  both  hearing  them,  and  asking  them  questions : 
47  and  all  that  heard  him  were  amazed  at  his  understanding 
and  his  answers.  48  And  when  they  saw  him,  they  were 
astonished;  and  his  mother  said  unto  him,  Son,  why  hast 
thou  thus  dealt  with  us?  behold,  thy  father  and  I  sought  thee 
sorrowing.  49  And  he  said  unto  them,  How  is  it  that  ye 
sought  me?  knew  ye  not  that  I  must  be  in  my  Father's  house? 
50  And  they  understood  not  the  saying  which  he  spake  unto 
them.  51  And  he  went  down  with  them,  and  came  to  Naza- 
reth; and  he  was  subject  unto  them:  and  his  mother  kept  all 
these  sayings  in  her  heart. 

52  And  Jesus  advanced  in  wisdom  and  stature,  and  in 
favor  with  God  and  men. 

It  has  been  said  that  the  boyhood  of  Jesus  is  like  a  walled 
garden  from  which  we  have  been  given  but  a  single  flower, 
but  this  is  so  fragrant  as  to  fill  our  hearts  with  a  longing  to 


Luke  2: 41-52      JESUS  AT  JERUSALEM  37 

enter  within  the  secret  inclosure.  We  have  but  a  single 
incident  of  his  boyhood  days;  it  is  recorded  for  us  only  by 
Luke,  a  visit  to  Jerusalem  paid  by  Jesus  when  he  was 
twelve  years  old.  At  about  this  age  a  young  Jew  became  a 
"son  of  the  law"  and  began  to  observe  its  requirements, 
among  which  were  the  pilgrimages  to  the  holy  city  to  ob- 
serve the  sacred  feasts.  On  this  first  visit  to  Jerusalem, 
Jesus  was  unintentionally  left  behind  by  his  parents  as  they 
started  on  their  return  journey  to  Nazareth.  At  the  end 
of  the  first  day  they  failed  to  find  him  in  the  long  caravan 
which  was  moving  northward  toward  Galilee.  The  day 
following,  Mary  and  Joseph  returned  to  Jerusalem,  and  on 
the  third  day  they  discovered  Jesus  in  the  Temple  in  the 
midst  of  the  teachers  who  were  surprised  at  his  knowledge 
of  the  sacred  Scriptures.  There  was  an  implied  rebuke  in 
the  words  of  Mary,  "Son,  why  hast  thou  thus  dealt  with  us? 
behold,  thy  father  and  I  sought  thee  sorrowing?"  In  the 
reply  of  Jesus  there  was  something  of  surprise  and  also  of 
reproof,  yet  there  were  deep  undertones  of  love,  of  spiritual 
vision,  and  of  solemn  resolve:  "How  is  it  that  ye  sought 
me?  knew  ye  not  that  I  must  be  in  my  Father's  house?" 

These  are  the  first  recorded  words  of  Jesus  and  they  are 
an  index  and  an  explanation  of  his  entire  career;  for  their 
preservation  this  story  was  recorded  by  Luke.  If  they  con- 
tained a  rebuke  for  Mary,  it  must  have  been  conveyed  in 
accents  of  reverence  and  affection ;  and  was  there  not  in- 
volved a  delicate  compliment  ?  Jesus  does  not  reprove  his 
parents  for  seeking  him,  but  for  not  seeking  him  in  the 
Temple  first  of  all ;  and  does  he  not  seem  to  have  implied 
that  his  parents  had  taught  him  to  love  the  house  of  God 
and  to  delight  in  the  law  of  God?  He  was  saying  in  effect: 
"Why  thus  did  you  seek  me  ?  Why  did  you  not  remember 
that  the  Temple  is  the  very  place  where  I  should  be  found?" 

These  words  are  thus  a  revelation  of  the  life  in  the 'home 
at  Nazareth.  It  was  not  by  a  miracle  or  due  to  some  di- 
vine attribute,  but  because  of  the  training  he  had  received 
from  his  pious  parents,  that  Jesus  at  the  age  of  twelve  was 
a  master  of  the  Scriptures,  and  had  learned  to  reverence  and 
adore  all  that  was  related  to  them  and  to  the  worship  of 
God.     Is  it  not  possible  for  parents  to-day  to  awaken  in  the 


38  THE  CHILDHOOD  OF  JESUS  Luke  2 :  41-52 

hearts  of  their  children  a  love  for  the  house  and  the  Word 
and  the  will  of  God? 

These  words,  further,  were  a  revelation  of  the  conscious- 
ness of  divine  sonship.  Jesus  already  realized  that  in  a 
unique  sense  God  was  his  own  Father,  the  true  source  of  his 
being.  He  instantly  corrected  the  words  of  Mary,  "thy 
father,"  which  referred  to  Joseph,  with  his  own  words  "my 
Father,"  which  referred  to  God.  Luke  depicts  Jesus  as  the 
ideal  Man,  but  always  as  one  conscious  that  he  was  the 
Son  of  God. 

Our  children  should  learn  to  regard  God  as  their  Father, 
not  in  the  unique  sense  employed  by  Jesus  as  the  eternal 
Son,  nor  yet  in  the  sense  which  can  apply  to  all  created 
beings,  but  as  denoting  that  intimate  relationship  with  God 
made  possible  for  believers  through  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord. 

Most  important  of  all,  these  words  are  the  revelation  of  a 
firm  resolve,  of  a  great  molding  purpose;  Jesus  perceived 
that  it  was  his  duty  to  be  in  the  house  of  his  Father — not 
merely  in  the  literal  Temple,  but  in  the  sphere  of  life  and 
activity  of  which  the  Temple  was  the  great  expression  and 
symbol  and  sign.  He  had  determined,  that  is,  to  devote  all 
his  thoughts  and  energies  and  powers  to  the  definite  service 
of  God.  At  the  age  of  twelve  are  not  most  children  suffi- 
ciently mature  to  form  a  somewhat  similar  purpose  and  to 
recognize  in  the  service  of  God  the  supreme  and  compre- 
hensive duty  of  every  life  ? 

With  this  definite  ideal  in  mind  Jesus  returned  to  Naza- 
reth and  continued  to  live  in  submission  to  his  parents, 
toiling  for  eighteen  years  as  a  carpenter  and  in  the  quiet 
retirement  of  an  obscure  village  receiving  a  training  for  his 
public  career  which  would  have  been  impossible  amidst  the 
formalism  and  the  distractions  of  Jerusalem.  His  devel- 
opment was  as  natural  as  it  was  perfect;  he  "advanced  in 
wisdom  and  stature,  and  in  favor  with  God  and  men;"  his 
bodily  and  mental  growth  were  no  more  marked  than  his 
increasing  charm  and  spiritual  power.  Such  development 
is  possible  in  the  humblest  sphere  for  those  whose  lives  are 
yielded  to  the  will  of  God. 


Luke  3:  1-15         PREACHING  OF  JOHN  39 


III.    The  Preparation.     Chs.  3  :  1  to  4  :  13 

A.  THE  PREACHING  OF  JOHN.    Ch.  3:  1-20 

1  Now  in  the  fifteenth  year  of  the  reign  of  Tiberius  Caesar, 
Pontius  Pilate  being  governor  of  Judaea,  and  Herod  being 
tetrarch  of  Galilee,  and  his  brother  Philip  tetrarch  of  the  re- 
gion of  Ituraea  and  Trachonitis,  and  Lysanias  tetrarch  of 
Abilene,  2  in  the  high  priesthood  of  Annas  and  Caiaphas,  the 
word  of  God  came  unto  John  the  son  of  Zacharias  in  the 
wilderness.  3  And  he  came  into  all  the  region  round  about 
the  Jordan,  preaching  the  baptism  of  repentance  unto  remis- 
sion of  sins;  4  as  it  is  'written  in  the  book  of  the  words  of 
Isaiah  the  prophet, 

The  voice  of  one  crying  in  the  wilderness, 

Make  ye  ready  the  way  of  the  Lord, 

Make  his  paths  straight. 

5  Every  valley  shall  be  filled, 

And  every  mountain  and  hill  shall  be  brought  low; 
And  the  crooked  shall  become  straight , 
And  the  rough  ways  smooth ; 

6  And  all  flesh  shall  see  the  salvation  of  God. 

7  He  said  therefore  to  the  multitudes  that  went  out  to  be 
baptized  of  him,  Ye  offspring  of  vipers,  who  warned  you  to 
flee  from  the  wrath  to  come?  8  Bring  forth  therefore  fruits 
worthy  of  repentance,  and  begin  not  to  say  within  yourselves, 
We  have  Abraham  to  our  father:  for  I  say  unto  you,  that  God 
is  able  of  these  stones  to  raise  up  children  unto  Abraham. 
9  And  even  now  the  axe  also  lieth  at  the  root  of  the  trees: 
every  tree  therefore  that  bringeth  not  forth  good  fruit  is  hewn 
down,  and  cast  into  the  fire.  10  And  the  multitudes  asked 
him,  saying,  What  then  must  we  do?  11  And  he  answered 
and  said  unto  them,  He  that  hath  two  coats,  let  him  impart 
to  him  that  hath  none;  and  he  that  hath  food,  let  him  do  like- 
wise. 12  And  there  came  also  publicans  to  be  baptized,  and 
they  said  unto  him,  Teacher,  what  must  we  do?  13  And  he 
said  unto  them,  Extort  no  more  than  that  which  is  appointed 
you.  14  And  soldiers  also  asked  him,  saying,  And  we,  what 
must  we  do?  And  he  said  unto  them,  Extort  from  no  man  by 
violence,  neither  accuse  any  one  wrongfully;  and  be  content 
with  your  wages. 

15  And   as  the    people  were    in    expectation,     and    all 


40  THE  PREPARATION  Luke  3:  16-20 

men  reasoned  in  their  hearts  concerning  John,  whether 
haply  he  were  the  Christ;  16  John  answered,  saying  unto 
them  all,  I  indeed  baptize  you  with  water;  but  there  cometh 
he  that  is  mightier  than  I,  the  latchet  of  whose  shoes  I  am 
not  worthy  to  unloose:  he  shall  baptize  you  in  the  Holy 
Spirit  and  in  fire:  17  whose  fan  is  in  his  hand,  thoroughly  to 
cleanse  his  threshing-floor,  and  to  gather  the  wheat  into  his 
garner;  but  the  chaff  he  will  burn  up  with  unquenchable  fire. 
18  With  many  other  exhortations  therefore  preached  he 
good  tidings  unto  the  people;  19  but  Herod  the  tetrarch,  being 
reproved  by  him  for  Herodias  his  brother's  wife,  and  for  all 
the  evil  things  which  Herod  had  done,  20  added  this  also  to 
them  all,  that  he  shut  up  John  in  prison. 

John  the  Baptist  was  the  first  inspired  prophet  to  break 
the  silence  of  the  centuries  which  had  elapsed  since  the  days 
of  Malachi.  The  importance  of  his  ministry  is  indicated 
by  Luke  in  the  minute  exactness  with  which  he  fixes  its 
date.  By  naming  the  civil  and  religious  rulers  he  gives  a 
sixfold  designation  of  the  time;  then,  too,  it  accords  with 
the  universal  aspect  of  his  Gospel,  and  with  the  genius  of 
Luke  as  a  historian,  to  link  his  story  with  secular  events. 
Naturally  he  mentions  first  the  reigning  emperor,  Tiberius 
Caesar;  he  next  names  Pilate,  the  governor  of  Judea  who 
attained  an  immortality  of  shame  for  condemning  Jesus  to 
the  cross;  Herod  Antipas,  a  seducer  and  murderer,  son  of 
Herod  the  Great,  is  designated  as  ruler  of  Galilee;  Philip 
and  Lysanias  are  said  to  be  governing  neighboring  prov- 
inces; as  ecclesiastical  rulers,  Annas  and  Caiaphas  are  men- 
tioned ;  while  the  former  had  been  deposed  some  years  be- 
fore, he  continued  to  share  with  his  son-in-law  the  actual 
duties  of  the  high  priesthood,  and  he  also  shared  the  infamy 
in  which  their  names  are  united.  Such  a  list  of  leading 
spirits  indicates  the  absolute  moral  and  religious  degener- 
acy of  the  times  and  the  need  of  some  one  to  call  Israel 
back  to  the  service  and  worship  of  God. 

Such  a  messenger  appeared  in  the  person  of  John  the 
Baptist  who  after  his  long  discipline  in  the  wilderness  came 
with  a  definite  message  from  God  and  drew  out  great 
throngs  to  the  Jordan  Valley  to  attend  his  preaching  and  to 
accept  his  baptism  as  a  sign  and  seal  of  their  repentance. 
The  nature  of  his  ministry  is  declared  to  have  been  a  fulfill- 


Luke  3:  15-20       PREACHING  OF  JOHN  41 

merit  of  the  prediction  of  Isaiah  who  described  "one  crying 
in  the  wilderness,"  one  sent  of  God  to  prepare  the  way  for 
the  coming  of  Christ.  This  preparation  is  pictured  in 
terms  of  Oriental  imagery.  When  a  monarch  was  about  to 
make  a  journey,  a  servant  was  sent  before  him  to  prepare 
the  highway.  Valleys  needed  to  be  filled,  hills  lowered, 
crooked  places  made  straight,  rough  ways  made  smooth. 
Thus,  before  men  would  be  ready  to  receive  Christ,  moral 
obstacles  must  be  removed ;  men  must  repent  of  their  sins 
and  turn  from  them.  Luke  closes  his  quotation  from 
Isaiah  with  the  line,  "And  all  flesh  shall  see  the  salvation  of 
God,"  which  is  in  accord  with  the  universal  character  of  his 
Gospel. 

The  burden  of  the  message  preached  by  John  was  that 
which  in  all  ages  has  awakened  a  response  in  the  hearts  of 
men:  he  preached  sin  and  judgment,  repentance  and  par- 
don. The  tone  of  his  message  as  recorded  by  Luke,  how- 
ever, was  particularly  severe;  here  he  is  said  to  have  ad- 
dressed the  multitudes  as  the  "offspring  of  vipers"  and  to 
have  asked  them  why  they  were  pretending  to  have  heard  a 
warning  of  wrath  to  come.  The  reason  for  such  severity 
was  that,  while  wishing  to  escape  the  impending  judgment, 
the  people  were  unwilling  to  forsake  their  sins.  They  re- 
garded the  baptism  of  John  as  a  magical  rite  which  could 
make  impenitent  men  safe  in  the  hour  of  judgment.  John 
bade  them  show  their  repentance  by  their  works  and  not  to 
trust  in  their  descent  from  Abraham  as  securing  their  sal- 
vation. He  declared  that  judgment  was  upon  them;  the 
ax  was  already  lying  at  the  root  of  the  trees  and  every 
fruitless  tree  was  about  to  be  "hewn  down,  and  cast  into 
the  fire." 

To  the  question  of  the  people  John  made  it  perfectly 
plain  that  by  repentance  he  meant  no  mere  form  or  cere- 
mony, nor  was  the  word  merely  an  abstract  theological 
term;  the  thing  he  demanded  was  plain  and  practical,  that 
each  man  should  turn  from  his  besetting  sin  and  should 
show  love  to  his  fellow  man.  Clothing  and  food  were  to  be 
given  to  those  in  need,  for  repentance  meant  to  turn  from 
the  sin  of  selfishness.  Publicans  or  taxgatherers,  who  were 
everywhere  detested  because  of  their  dishonesty  and  greed, 


42  THE  PREPARATION        Luke  3: 21,  22 

were  told  to  demand  no  more  tribute  than  was  appointed 
and  lawful.  Soldiers,  or  more  exactly  "men  on  military 
service,"  possibly  acting  as  local  police,  were  told  to  extort 
no  money  by  violence  and  to  seek  for  none  by  false  charges, 
and  to  be  content  with  their  wages.  All  who  are  to  receive 
Christ  in  any  age  must  turn  from  their  sins.  Repentance 
is  not  a  mystical  experience ;  it  is  plain  and  simple  and  prac- 
tical. It  consists  in  turning  from  greed  and  dishonesty  and 
unkindness  and  violence  and  discontent,  and  from  all  that 
is  contrary  to  the  revealed  will  of  God. 

The  coming  of  Christ  was  very  definitely  predicted  by 
John.  While  some  imagined  that  the  prophet  himself  was 
the  Messiah,  John  declared  that  the  mission  of  Christ  was 
so  much  greater  than  his  own  that  he  would  be  unworthy 
as  a  slave,  to  loose  the  latchet  of  his  shoes.  While  John 
baptized  with  water,  Christ  would  baptize  with  the  Holy 
Spirit  and  with  fire.  Water  was  a  material  element,  and 
merely  symbolized  an  inward  change;  Jesus  would  bring 
them  into  fellowship  with  a  divine  Person,  and  would  exert 
upon  their  souls  cleansing  and  transforming  power.  He 
would  come,  however,  to  punish  the  impenitent;  he  would 
separate  the  wheat  from  the  chaff;  the  former  he  would 
gather  into  his  garner,  but  the  chaff  he  would  burn  with 
unquenchable  fire. 

The  close  of  the  career  of  John  is  introduced  by  Luke  at 
this  point  of  his  narrative  to  prepare  the  way  for  his  ac- 
count of  the  ministry  of  Christ.  It  was  actually  some  time 
after  Jesus  had  begun  his  work  that  Herod  the  tetrarch 
arrested  John  and  cast  him  into  prison  because  he  had  re- 
buked the  profligate  king  for  his  impurity  and  his  sin.  John 
had  been  a  faithful  messenger  of  God,  but  the  world  does 
not  reverence  its  prophets;  they  are  usually  imprisoned, 
beheaded,  burned,  or  crucified. 

B.  THE  BAPTISM  OF  JESUS.    Ch.  3:  21,  22 

21  Now  it  came  to  pass,  when  all  the  people  were  bap- 
tized, that,  Jesus  also  having  been  baptized,  and  praying,  the 
heaven  was  opened,  22  and  the  Holy  Spirit  descended  in  a 
bodily  form,  as  a  dove,  upon  him,  and  a  voice  came  out  of 
heaven,  Thou  art  my  beloved  Son;  in  thee  I  am  well  pleased. 


Luke  3: 21,  22         THE  BAPTISM  OF  JESUS  43 

Why  did  the  ideal  Man,  the  Son  of  God,  submit  to  the 
baptism  of  John,  a  baptism  of  repentance?  Surely  not  to 
confess  any  sin  of  his  own ;  but  first  of  all  to  set  his  seal  of 
approval  upon  the  work  of  John  and  to  attest  the  message 
which  declared  that  repentance  and  confession  of  sin  are 
absolutely  necessary  for  all  who  are  to  share  the  salvation 
of  Christ. 

Then  again  by  his  baptism  Jesus  identified  himself  with 
his  people,  not  as  being  sinful,  but  as  doing  what  they  were 
commanded  to  do  and  as  sympathizing  with  them  in  their 
hatred  of  sin,  in  their  distress  for  its  burden,  and  in  their 
hope  and  expectation  of  relief.  Only  those  who  sympa- 
thize can  serve  and  save. 

Then  again  baptism  indicated  that  the  penitent  had 
broken  with  the  past  to  begin  a  life  of  new  holiness  and 
obedience.  So  in  his  baptism  Jesus  was  ending  his  quiet 
years  of  preparation  in  Nazareth  and  was  about  to  enter 
upon  the  ministry  of  service  and  sacrifice  which  was  to  be 
performed  in  obedience  to  the  will  of  his  Father.  It  is  for 
this  reason  that  Luke,  with  the  art  of  a  skilled  historian, 
first  completed  the  story  of  John,  the  great  forerunner, 
before  mentioning  that  which  in  reality  was  the  supreme 
incident  in  the  career  of  John — his  baptism  of  Jesus. 
That  incident  introduced  Jesus  to  his  public  ministry 
and  that  ministry  was  to  form  the  very  substance  of 
the  gospel. 

That  the  incident  is  merely  introductory  to  his  narrative, 
is  evident  also  from  the  way  in  which  Luke  records  the  bap- 
tism. He  does  not  describe  the  event.  He  merely  men- 
tions it  to  designate  the  time  when  Jesus  saw  the  descend- 
ing Spirit  and  heard  the  voice  from  heaven.  The  former 
was  a  symbolic  indication  of  the  power  by  which  the  work 
of  Jesus  was  to  be  performed ;  the  latter  was  a  declaration 
that  he  was  the  Christ,  upon  whom  rested  the  approval  of 
God. 

We  are  not  to  suppose  that  Jesus  before  had  lacked  the 
presence  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  nor  that  he  now  assumed  any 
new  relation  to  his  Father,  but,  as  in  baptism  he  had  yielded 
himself  to  his  appointed  service,  so  now  he  was  empow- 
ered for  his  task;  as  in  humility  he  had  identified  himself 


44  THE  PREPARATION  Luke  3: 23-38 

with  the  sons  of  men,  so  now  he  was  assured  anew  that  he 
was  the  Son  of  God ;  as  he  had  shown  his  sympathy  with 
penitent  sinners,  he  now  was  declared  to  be  the  sinless  One 
in  whom  God  was  well  pleased. 

Thus  with  the  followers  of  Christ,  while  all  enjoy  the  abid- 
ing presence  of  his  Spirit,  yet,  as  they  yield  themselves 
anew  to  his  service,  they  are  filled  anew  with  his  power, 
they  are  strengthened  for  their  tasks,  and  are  cheered  by  a 
new  assurance  of  their  sonship  and  their  acceptance  with 
God.  Luke  alone  mentions  that  this  experience  came 
when  Jesus  was  in  prayer.  He  realized  that  it  was  a  time 
of  crisis.  Prayer  is  usually  the  condition  of  those  heavenly 
visions  and  spiritual  experiences  which  prepare  us  for  our 
tasks  in  life. 

C.  THE  GENEALOGY  OF  JESUS.    Ch.  3:  23-38 

23  And  Jesus  himself,  when  he  began  to  teach,  was  about 
thirty  years  of  age,  being  the  son  (as  was  supposed)  of  Joseph, 
the  son  of  Heli,  24  the  son  of  Matthat,  the  son  of  Levi,  the 
son  of  Melchi,  the  son  of  Jannai,  the  son  of  Joseph,  25  the 
son  of  Mattathias,  the  son  of  Amos,  the  son  of  Nahum,  the 
son  of  Esli,  the  son  of  Naggai,  26  the  son  of  Maath,  the  son 
of  Mattathias,  the  son  of  Semein,  the  son  of  Josech,  the  son 
of  Joda,  27  the  son  of  Joanan,  the  son  of  Rhesa,  the  son  of 
Zerubbabel,  the  son  of  Shealtiel,  the  son  of  Neri,  28  the  son 
of  Melchi,  the  son  of  Addi,  the  son  of  Cosam,  the  son  of 
Elmadam,  the  son  of  Er,  29  the  son  of  Jesus,  the  son  of 
Eliezer,  the  son  of  Jorim,  the  son  of  Matthat,  the  son  of  Levi, 
30  the  son  of  Symeon,  the  son  of  Judas,  the  son  of  Joseph, 
the  son  of  Jonam,  the  son  of  Eliakim,  31  the  son  of  Melea, 
the  son  of  Menna,  the  son  of  Mattatha,  the  son  of  Nathan, 
the  son  of  David,  32  the  son  of  Jesse,  the  son  of  Obed,  the  son 
of  Boaz,  the  son  of  Salmon,  the  son  of  Nahshon,  33  the  son 
of  Amminadab,  the  son  of  Ami,  the  son  of  Hezron,  the  son 
of  Perez,  the  son  of  Judah,  34  the  son  of  Jacob,  the  son  of 
Isaac,  the  son  of  Abraham,  the  son  of  Terah,  the  son  of  Nahor, 
35  the  son  of  Serug,  the  son  of  Reu,  the  son  of  Peleg,  the  son 
of  Eber,  the  son  of  Shelah,  36  the  son  of  Cainan,  the  son  of 
Arphaxad,  the  son  of  Shem,  the  son  of  Noah,  the  son  of 
Lamech,  37  the  son  of  Methuselah,  the  son  of  Enoch,  the 
son  of  Jared,  the  son  of  Mahalaleel,  the  son  of  Cainan,  38  the 
son  of  Enos,  the  son  of  Seth,  the  son  of  Adam,  the  son  of  God. 


Luke  3: 23=38      GENEAOLGY  OF  JESUS  45 

The  genealogy  of  Jesus  given  by  Luke  contains  marked 
differences  from  that  recorded  by  Matthew.  Possibly 
some  of  these  differences  can  be  explained  and  may  be 
found  of  real  significance. 

1.  First  of  all,  the  genealogy  is  found  in  a  different  part 
of  the  Gospel.  In  Matthew  it  opens  the  story;  in  Luke  it 
closes  the  third  chapter.  This  is  of  course  by  no  mere 
chance.  The  purpose  of  Matthew  is  to  prove  that  Jesus  is 
the  Christ,  the  Messiah,  who,  as  the  King  of  Israel,  fulfills 
all  the  Old  Testament  prophecies.  It  is  of  the  utmost  im- 
portance that  Jesus  should  be  shown  to  be  the  Son  of  David 
and  of  Abraham  and  that  the  official  genealogy  containing 
this  record  should  open  the  story  and  even  precede  the  ac- 
count of  the  nativity. 

Luke,  however,  has  given  the  significant  account  of  the 
birth  and  infancy  and  career  of  the  great  forerunner,  John, 
because  of  the  light  these  throw  upon  the  ministry  of  Christ. 
Therefore,  when  the  career  of  John  has  been  related,  when 
the  ministry  of  Jesus  is  about  to  be  recorded,  Luke  gives  his 
genealogy  to  emphasize  the  fact  that  the  narrative  con- 
cerning John  has  closed  and  the  story  of  the  ministry  of 
Jesus  is  about  to  begin.  The  genealogy  is  thus  an  artistic 
interlude,  or  an  important  introduction.  It  suggests  the 
real  purpose  of  the  writer  and  marks  the  transition  from 
the  ministry  which  called  men  to  repentance  to  the  saving 
work  which  secures  salvation  from  sin.  The  gospel  is  not 
good  advice  but  good  news.  We  are  not  followers  of  John 
but  of  Jesus. 

2.  Then  again,  the  genealogy  in  Matthew  follows  the 
order  of  descent;  Luke  ascends  the  family  line  from  son  to 
father.  The  former  is  the  order  of  an  official  record ;  indi- 
viduals are  registered  only  as  they  are  born;  the  lat- 
ter is  that  of  a  private  document  compiled  from  the  public 
records  with  a  view  to  fixing  the  attention  upon  the  partic- 
ular person  whose  name  stands  at  the  head  of  the  list.  This 
is  quite  in  accord  with  the  literary  art  of  Luke,  who  desires 
at  this  point  in  the  narrative  to  center  the  thought  upon  the 
supreme  importance  of  Jesus,  the  Saviour,  of  whose  re- 
deeming work  he  is  now  to  write. 

3.  In  the  third  place,  while  the  names  given  by  Luke, 


46  THE  PREPARATION  Luke  4: 1-5 

from  Abraham  to  David,  correspond  with  those  given  by 
Matthew,  the  names  from  David  to  Jesus  differ.  Some 
have  attempted  to  explain  the  differences  on  the  ground 
that  Matthew  gives  the  genealogy  of  Joseph,  while  Luke 
gives  that  of  Mary.  It  is  probably  wiser  to  conclude  that 
both  give  the  genealogy  of  Joseph,  but  Matthew  traces  the 
line  of  royal  succession  showing  Jesus  to  be  the  heir  of 
David;  while  Luke  gives  the  line  of  actual  descent.  This 
surely  accords  with  the  purpose  of  Matthew  who  ever  de- 
picts Christ  as  the  King,  and  also  with  the  purpose  of  Luke 
who  is  painting  for  us  Christ  as  the  true,  the  ideal  Man. 

4.  Then,  too,  the  genealogy  in  Matthew  begins  with 
Abraham,  while  Luke  traces  the  line  back  to  Adam.  The 
former  proves  Jesus  to  be  a  Jew,  the  true  son  of  Abraham,  in 
whom  the  covenant  was  fulfilled.  The  latter  reminds  us 
that  Jesus  belongs  to  the  whole  human  race.  It  makes  us 
look  beyond  all  national  lines  and  remember  that  this  ideal 
Man  on  whom  Luke  is  fixing  our  thoughts  is  the  Saviour  of 
mankind. 

5.  When  the  genealogy  closes  with  the  statement  that 
Adam  was  "the  son  of  God,"  it  does  indicate  that  Jesus 
was  reckoned  as  one  in  the  great  brotherhood  of  man,  and 
like  all  his  brothers,  owed  his  origin  to  God ;  but  it  does  not 
mean  to  deny  that  he  also  sustained  to  God  a  relationship 
that  is  absolutely  unique.  The  genealogy  opens  with  the 
statement  that  Jesus  was  the  reputed  Son  of  Joseph ;  he  was 
the  legal  heir  of  Joseph  and  so  the  promised  Son  of  David 
because  of  the  marriage  of  Joseph  to  Mary;  but  he  was 
not  really  the  son  of  Joseph ;  he  was  the  '  'only  begotten  Son" 
of  God. 

D.  THE  TEMPTATION  OF  JESUS.     Ch.  4:  1-13 

1  And  Jesus,  full  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  returned  from  the 
Jordan,  and  was  led  in  the  Spirit  in  the  wilderness  2  during 
forty  days,  being  tempted  of  the  devil.  And  he  did  eat  nothing 
in  those  days :  and  when  they  were  completed,  he  hungered. 
3  And  the  devil  said  unto  nun,  If  thou  art  the  Son  of  God, 
command  this  stone  that  it  become  bread.  4  And  Jesus 
answered  unto  him,  It  is  written,  Man  shall  not  live  by  bread 
alone.    5  And  he  led  him  up,  and  showed  him  all  the  king- 


Luke  4:  6-13    THE  TEMPTATION  OF  JESUS  47 

doms  of  the  world  in  a  moment  of  time.  6  And  the  devil 
said  unto  him,  To  thee  will  I  give  all  this  authority,  and  the 
glory  of  them:  for  it  hath  been  delivered  unto  me;  and  to 
whomsoever  I  will  I  give  it.  7  If  thou  therefore  wilt  worship 
before  me,  it  shall  all  be  thine.  8  And  Jesus  answered  and 
said  unto  him,  It  is  written,  Thou  shalt  worship  the  Lord  thy 
God,  and  him  only  shalt  thou  serve.  9  And  he  led  him  to 
Jerusalem,  and  set  him  on  the  pinnacle  of  the  temple,  and 
said  unto  him,  If  thou  art  the  Son  of  God,  cast  thyself  down 
from  hence:   10  for  it  is  written, 

He  shall  give  his  angels  charge  concerning  thee,  to  guard 

thee: 

11  and, 

On  their  hands  they  shall  bear  thee  up, 
Lest  haply  thou  dash  thy  foot  against  a  stone. 

12  And  Jesus  answering  said  unto  him,  It  is  said,  Thou  shalt 
not  make  trial  of  the  Lord  thy  God. 

13  And  when  the  devil  had  completed  every  temptation,  he 
departed  from  him  for  a  season. 

The  temptation  of  Jesus  was  the  last  step  in  the  prepara- 
tion for  his  public  ministry,  and  for  many  of  his  followers 
the  final  discipline  for  service  consists  in  such  a  trial  as  re- 
sults in  a  new  determination  to  live  not  for  self  but  for  God. 

The  time  of  the  temptation  was  significant.  It  was  just 
after  Jesus  had  been  filled  with  the  Holy  Spirit  and  had 
been  assured  anew  of  his  divine  sonship.  Under  the  influ- 
ence of  the  Spirit  he  was  brought  to  the  place  of  trial,  and 
the  temptation  consisted,  in  large  part,  of  the  suggestion  to 
use  for  selfish  ends  the  divine  powers  of  which  he  was  con- 
scious, and  to  forget  his  filial  relation  to  his  Father.  While 
God  never  tempts  us,  in  the  sense  of  enticing  us  to  sin,  it 
does  seem  to  be  a  part  of  his  gracious  purpose  to  allow  us  to 
be  tested;  these  experiences  come  while  we  are  guided  by 
his  Spirit,  and  the  essence  of  these  temptations  usually  con- 
sists in  some  inclination  to  please  self  in  forgetfulness  of  our 
true  relation  to  God.  The  place  of  temptation  was  the 
wilderness,  and  there  is  a  sense  in  which  the  experience  of 
moral  struggle  is  always  one  of  intense  loneliness.  On  the 
other  hand,  to  live  in  a  literal  desert  does  not  free  one  from 
solicitation  to  sin.  Wherever  one  may  be,  he  can  be  cer- 
tain of  the  presence  and  sympathy  of  Christ;  and  victory  is 


48  THE  PREPARATION  Luke  4: 6-13 

possible  through  faith  in  him.  This  seems  to  be  the  su- 
preme message  of  the  story. 

In  both  Matthew  and  Luke,  three  temptations  are  men- 
tioned. They  are  probably  intended  to  be  symbolic  and 
inclusive;  and  under  one  or  the  other  of  these  enticements 
to  evil  can  be  grouped  all  the  moral  trials  of  mankind.  It 
is  to  be  noted,  however,  that  the  order  of  the  temptations 
given  by  Luke  differs  from  that  of  Matthew.  In  both  ac- 
counts the  first  temptation  is  to  make  bread  of  stone;  but 
Luke  mentions  as  the  second  temptation  that  which  is  last 
in  the  account  of  Matthew,  the  temptation  which  offered  to 
Jesus  all  the  kingdoms  of  the  world.  This  was  a  fitting 
climax  to  the  testing  of  the  King.  Luke,  however,  men- 
tions last  the  temptation  of  Jesus  to  cast  himself  from  the 
pinnacle  of  the  Temple  and  thus  to  test  God.  It  is  the 
temptation  in  the  sphere  of  intellectual  desire  and  comes  in 
the  subtle  form  of  presumptuous  trust.  It  forms  a  true 
climax  in  the  testing  of  the  ideal  Man.  The  order  given  by 
Matthew  is  suggested  by  the  apostle  John  who  mentions 
"the  lust  of  the  flesh  and  the  lust  of  the  eyes  and  the  vain- 
glory of  life."  The  order  of  Luke  takes  us  back  to  the 
story  of  Eden  and  to  the  first  human  sin,  which  was  due  to 
a  love  for  that  which  was  "good  for  food"  and  "a  delight  to 
the  eyes"  and  "to  be  desired  to  make  one  wise."  As  in 
Eden  also,  the  first  temptation  is  to  doubt  the  goodness  of 
God,  the  second  to  doubt  his  power,  and  the  third  to  dis- 
trust his  wisdom.  The  victory  of  Jesus,  however,  was  se- 
cured by  the  triumph  of  his  faith,  and  faith  is  still  "the  vic- 
tory which  overcomes  the  world." 

The  first  temptation,  then,  was  in  the  sphere  of  bodily 
appetite;  Jesus  was  urged  by  Satan  to  transform  a  stone 
into  bread.  Why  not?  His  appetite  was  innocent;  he 
possessed  the  ability  to  gratify  it.  The  sin,  however, 
would  lie  in  his  using  divine  power  to  satisfy  his  human 
needs.  If  this  should  have  been  his  way  of  life,  there  would 
have  been  for  him  no  hunger,  no  pain,  no  sorrow,  no  cross. 
He  would  have  defeated  the  very  purpose  for  which  he 
came  into  the  world;  and  anyone  who  makes  the  gratifica- 
tion of  appetite  his  supreme  purpose  is  wasting  his  life. 
The  essence  of  the  temptation,  however,  was  to  doubt  the 


Luke  4:  6-13   THE  TEMPTATION  OF  JESUS  49 

goodness  of  God,  as  Jesus  showed  by  his  reply,  "Man  shall 
not  live  by  bread  alone."  He  was  quoting  from  the  Old 
Testament;  he  was  declaring  that  as  by  a  miracle  God  pre- 
served his  people  of  old,  so  now  he  would  sustain  the  life  of 
his  Son.  Jesus  would  not  be  driven  into  a  panic  of  fear. 
He  believed  that  God  would  supply  his  need  and  that,  how- 
ever strong  the  demand  of  appetite  might  be,  the  way  and 
the  will  of  God  are  certain  to  secure  satisfaction  and  the 
truest  enjoyment  in  life. 

The  second  temptation  was  in  the  sphere  of  earthly  am- 
bition. It  consisted  in  an  offer  of  unlimited  human  power. 
Satan  would  give  to  Jesus  all  the  kingdoms  of  the  world  on 
the  condition  that  Jesus  should  bow  down  and  worship  him. 
The  force  of  the  temptation  consisted  in  the  fact  that  Jesus 
expected  some  day  to  rule  the  world.  The  Tempter  sug- 
gested that  he  himself  possessed  such  power,  and  that  if 
Jesus  would  submit  to  him  he  would  attain  the  desired  goal 
of  universal  rule.  It  was  a  temptation  to  doubt  the  power 
of  God  and  to  be  disloyal  to  him,  as  is  shown  by  the  reply  of 
Jesus,  "Thou  shalt  worship  the  Lord  thy  God,  and  him 
only  shalt  thou  serve." 

This  is  a  familiar  form  of  temptation  to-day.  The  Devil 
does  not  ask  us  to  give  up  our  purposes  of  ultimate  helpful- 
ness to  others  and  service  to  the  world;  he  only  asks  us  to 
compromise  with  the  evil  to  attain  our  goal ;  he  insists  that 
the  end  will  justify  the  means;  he  intimates  that  in  the 
world  of  commerce,  or  society,  or  politics,  evil  methods  are 
so  much  in  vogue  that  success  can  be  attained  only  by  com- 
plicity with  evil.  He  tells  us  that  this  is  his  world  and  that 
we  can  rule  only  in  so  far  as  we  make  terms  with  him.  For 
Christ  the  issue  was  clearly  drawn.  It  was  submission  to 
Satan  or  loyalty  to  God.  The  latter  would  involve  opposi- 
tion to  the  ruler  of  this  world  and  therefore  would  mean 
conflict  and  toil  and  tears  and  a  cross;  but  the  ultimate 
issue  would  be  universal  rule.  The  same  choice  opens  for 
the  followers  of  Christ.  Unswerving  loyalty  is  the  way  of 
the  cross,  but  this  is  the  way  of  the  crown. 

The  last  temptation  was  in  the  sphere  of  intellectual  cu- 
riosity. It  suggested  to  Jesus  that  he  should  see  for  himself 
what  would  be  the  experience  of  one  who  should  cast  him- 


50  THE  PREPARATION  Luke  4: 6-13 

self  from  a  great  height  and  then,  by  angel  hands,  be  kept 
from  harm.  This  is  the  tempation  to  place  oneself  need- 
lessly in  a  situation  of  moral  peril  and  then  to  expect  to  be 
delivered  by  God's  miraculous  power.  This  is  not  faith, 
but  presumption.  Satan  still  seeks  by  this  device  to  de- 
stroy human  souls.  He  urges  men  to  see  for  themselves, 
to  increase  their  knowledge  by  experiences  which  needlessly 
endanger  their  credit,  their  health,  and  their  honor,  to  place 
themselves  in  moral  peril,  to  live  beyond  their  means,  to 
undertake  tasks  beyond  their  strength.  Jesus  replied, 
"Thou  shalt  not  make  trial  of  the  Lord  thy  God."  In  the 
path  of  actual  duty  one  need  not  fear  the  most  threatening 
danger;  but  one  who  puts  himself  in  unnecessary  peril  need 
not  expect  divine  help.  In  his  own  time  and  way,  and  in 
the  path  of  our  appointed  service,  God  will  open  our  eyes 
and  give  us  such  knowledge  as  we  need.  To  seek  in 
presumption  for  such  knowledge  while  endangering  our 
souls  is  to  doubt  the  wisdom  of  God.  Real  trust  preserves 
us  from  sinful  presumption. 

The  story  closes  with  the  statement  that  when  Jesus  had 
secured  his  victory  the  Devil  "departed  from  him  for  a  sea- 
son." The  life  of  faith  is  a  life  of  repeated  moral  conflicts, 
but  victory  is  assured  to  those  who  trust  in  the  goodness 
and  power  and  wisdom  of  God. 


Luke  4: 14-29         THE  FIRST  PERIOD  51 


IV.     The  Ministry  in  Galilee.     Chs.  4  :  14  to  9  :  50 

A.     THE  FIRST  PERIOD.     Ch.  4  :  14-44 
1.  Jesus  Preaching  at  Nazareth.     Ch.  4:14-30 

14  And  Jesus  returned  in  the  power  of  the  Spirit  into 
Galilee:  and  a  fame  went  out  concerning  him  through  all  the 
region  round  about.  15  And  he  taught  in  their  synagogues, 
being  glorified  of  all. 

16  And  he  came  to  Nazareth,  where  he  had  been  brought 
up:  and  he  entered,  as  his  custom  was,  into  the  synagogue 
on  the  sabbath  day,  and  stood  up  to  read.  17  And  there  was 
delivered  unto  him  the  book  of  the  prophet  Isaiah.  And  he 
opened  the  book,  and  found  the  place  where  it  was  written, 

18  The  Spirit  of  the  Lord  is  upon  me, 

Because  he  anointed  me  to  preach  good  tidings  to  the  poor : 
He  hath  sent  me  to  proclaim  release  to  the  captives, 
And  recovering  of  sight  to  the  blind, 
To  set  at  liberty  them  that  are  bruised, 

19  To  proclaim  the  acceptable  year  of  the  Lord. 

20  And  he  closed  the  book,  and  gave  it  back  to  the  attendant, 
and  sat  down:  and  the  eyes  of  all  in  the  synagogue  were 
fastened  on  him.  2 1  And  he  began  to  say  unto  them,  To-day 
hath  this  scripture  been  fulfilled  in  your  ears.  22  And  all 
bare  him  witness,  and  wondered  at  the  words  of  grace  which 
proceeded  out  of  his  mouth :  and  they  said,  Is  not  this  Joseph's 
son?  23  And  he  said  unto  them,  Doubtless  ye  will  say  unto 
me  this  parable,  Physician,  heal  thyself:  whatsoever  we  have 
heard  done  at  Capernaum,  do  also  here  in  thine  own  country. 
24  And  he  said,  Verily  I  say  unto  you,  No  prophet  is  acceptable 
in  his  own  country.  25  But  of  a  truth  I  say  unto  you,  There 
were  many  widows  in  Israel  in  the  days  of  Elijah,  when  the 
heaven  was  shut  up  three  years  and  six  months,  when  there 
came  a  great  famine  over  all  the  land;  26  and  unto  none  of 
them  was  Elijah  sent,  but  only  to  Zarephath,  in  the  land  of 
Sidon,  unto  a  woman  that  was  a  widow.  27  And  there  were 
many  lepers  in  Israel  in  the  time  of  Elisha  the  prophet;  and 
none  of  them  was  cleansed,  but  only  Naaman  the  Syrian. 
28  And  they  were  all  filled  with  wrath  in  the  synagogue,  as 
they  heard  these  things;  29  and  they  rose  up,  and  cast  him 
forth  out  of  the  city,  and  led  him  unto  the  brow  of  the  hill 


52  THE  MINISTRY  IN  GALILEE      Luke  4:  30 

whereon  their  city  was  built,  that  they  might  throw  him  down 
headlong.  30  But  he  passing  through  the  midst  of  them 
went  his  way. 

After  his  baptism  and  temptation  Jesus  remained  for  a 
time  in  Jerusalem  and  in  Judea  and  then  returned  to  Gali- 
lee where  he  began  that  ministry  to  which  Luke  devotes  the 
next  six  chapters  of  his  Gospel.  Of  this  ministry  he  men- 
tions three  features :  First,  it  was  wrought  in  the  power  of 
the  Holy  Spirit;  secondly,  its  fame  extended  through  the 
entire  country;  and  thirdly,  its  essence  consisted  in  the 
most  arresting  and  impressive  public  teaching. 

The  first  recorded  sermon  of  Jesus  was  preached  in  the 
synagogue  at  Nazareth,  the  town  in  which  he  had  spent  his 
youth  and  early  manhood.  Luke  places  this  sermon  at  the 
very  opening  of  his  record  of  the  public  ministry  of  Jesus, 
probably  because  he  regarded  it  as  containing  the  program 
of  that  ministry,  or  as  forming  the  proclamation  of  the 
saving  work  of  our  Lord. 

1 1  was  a  Sabbath  Day.  The  place  of  worship  was  crowded 
with  the  relatives  and  friends  and  townsmen  of  Jesus. 
All  were  eager  to  hear  one  whom  they  knew  so  well,  and 
who  had  attained  so  sudden  a  renown.  Either  at  his  re- 
quest, or  providentially,  Jesus  was  handed  the  book  of 
Isaiah  to  lead  in  the  reading  of  the  Scripture.  He  found 
the  place  in  the  prophecy  where,  in  terms  of  the  joy  of  Jubi- 
lee, the  writer  is  describing  the  gladness  of  those  who  are  to 
return  from  their  long  captivity  in  Babylon.  When  Jesus 
had  finished  the  lesson  he  sat  down,  thereby  taking  the  at- 
titude of  a  public  teacher.  As  all  gazed  upon  him  intently, 
he  undertook  to  show  that  the  prophecy  was  to  be  fulfilled 
by  himself,  claiming  thereby  to  be  the  promised  Messiah. 
The  very  phrase  with  which  the  prophecy  begins,  "The 
Spirit  of  the  Lord  is  upon  me."  indicates,  when  applied  to 
himself,  that  he  had  been  anointed,  not  with  oil  as  a 
prophet  or  a  priest  or  a  king,  but  with  the  Holy  Spirit  as  the 
Anointed  One,  or  the  Christ  of  God.  As  such  he  was  "to 
preach  good  tidings  to  the  poor,"  that  is,  to  those  in  spirit- 
ual as  well  as  in  physical  poverty.  He  was  to  proclaim  de- 
liverance for  those  enslaved  by  sin  and  to  establish  those 


Luke  4: 30  THE  FIRST  PERIOD  53 

principles  which  will  result  in  political  freedom  for  man- 
kind. He  was  "to  set  at  liberty  them  that  are  bruised," 
that  is,  to  remove  the  consequences  and  the  cruelties  of 
selfishness  and  of  crime.  He  was  to  proclaim  the  era  of 
universal  blessedness  which  will  result  from  his  perfected 
reign.  Thus  in  these  words,  which  combine  the  figures  of 
deliverance  from  captivity  with  those  of  the  joy  of  jubilee, 
Jesus  expressed  the  gracious  and  beneficent  character  of  his 
ministry. 

His  auditors  listened  in  amazement,  unable  to  resist  the 
charm  of  his  address  or  to  deny  the  fascinating  beauty  of 
his  words,  but  unable  also  to  admit  his  claim ;  they  received 
his  predictions  with  stubborn  unbelief.  They  expressed 
their  incredulity  and  at  the  same  time  explained  it  by  their 
question,  "Is  not  this  Joseph's  son?"  They  were  saying  in 
effect:  "Is  not  this  man  our  neighbor,  the  carpenter,  with 
whom  we  have  all  been  acquainted;  do  we  not  know  him 
and  his  family?  Surely  he  cannot  be  the  Messiah." 

The  reply  of  Jesus  was  to  the  effect  that  their  unwilling- 
ness to  accept  him  was  due  in  part  to  the  fact  that  he  had 
not  wrought  in  their  presence  the  miracles  which  marked 
his  ministry  in  other  places.  This  is  what  he  meant  by 
quoting  the  proverb,  "Physician,  heal  thyself,"  that  is, 
"Establish  your  claim  here  as  you  have  done  elsewhere,  if 
you  expect  to  be  received  as  the  Christ."  Jesus  also 
quoted  another  proverb  to  explain  more  fully  their  jealous 
doubts:  "No  prophet  is  acceptable  in  his  own  country." 
Those  most  familiar  with  great  men  usually  are  least  able 
to  appreciate  their  greatness;  "Familiarity  breeds  con- 
tempt," because  men  are  so  apt  to  judge  one  another  by 
false  standards  and  by  that  which  is  accidental  and  exter- 
nal and  because  so  frequently  men  do  not  know  those  whom 
they  think  they  know  the  best.  This  same  stupid  lack  of 
appreciation  shadows  human  lives  to-day,  and  makes  us 
fail  to  realize  the  worth  of  our  friends  and  the  value  of  our 
opportunities,  until  it  is  too  late.  It  even  has  its  tragic 
bearing  upon  the  present  ministry  of  Christ:  some  reject 
him  for  reasons  altogether  superficial  and  foolish,  thinking 
that  they  know  him  perfectly  because  they  long  have  been 
familiar  with  his  name,  while  in  reality  they  fail  to  under- 


54  THE  MINISTRY  IN  GALILEE    Luke  4:  31-37 

stand  the  real  beauty  of  his  person  and  the  transforming 
power  of  his  grace. 

The  unbelief  of  his  auditors  was  turned  to  mad  hatred  as 
Jesus  gave  two  examples  from  Old  Testament  history,  both 
of  which  indicated  that  his  townsmen,  who  knew  him  best, 
were  less  worthy  of  his  saving  ministry  than  even  men  of 
heathen  nations.  He  even  compared  himself  with  Elijah 
and  Elisha  and  indicated  that  as  the  former  brought  a  great 
blessing  to  one  who  lived  in  Sidon  and  the  latter  to  a  prince 
in  Syria,  while  the  people  in  Israel  were  suffering  for  their 
unbelief,  so  the  nations  of  the  world  would  accept  the 
blessed  salvation  of  Christ  while  those  who  knew  him  best 
would  suffer  for  their  unbelief.  So  maddened  were  his 
hearers  by  this  severe  rebuke  that  they  drove  him  from  the 
city  and  tried  to  take  his  life,  but  he,  with  majestic  calm 
and  divine  strength,  "passing  through  the  midst  of  them 
went  his  way." 

It  is  still  true  that  those  who  have  enjoyed  the  best  op- 
portunities for  knowing  Christ  often  reject  him;  but,  where 
faith  is  present,  broken  hearts  are  healed  as  by  Elijah  of  old 
and  lepers  are  cleansed  as  was  Naaman  by  the  word  of 
Elisha.  Thus  in  this  scene  in  the  synagogue  of  Nazareth, 
Jesus  indicated  not  only  the  grace  of  his  ministry  but  its 
universal  power.  He  came  to  relieve  all  the  needs  of  man- 
kind and  in  all  the  world. 

2.    Jesus  Performing  Miracles  at  Capernaum.    Ch.  4:  31-44 

31  And  he  came  down  to  Capernaum,  a  city  of  Galilee. 
And  he  was  teaching  them  on  the  sabbath  day:  32  and  they 
were  astonished  at  his  teaching;  for  his  word  was  with  au- 
thority. 33  And  in  the  synagogue  there  was  a  man,  that  had 
a  spirit  of  an  unclean  demon;  and  he  cried  out  with  a  loud 
voice,  34  Ah!  what  have  we  to  do  with  thee,  Jesus  thou 
Nazarene?  art  thou  come  to  destroy  us?  I  know  thee  who 
thou  art,  the  Holy  One  of  God.  35  And  Jesus  rebuked  him, 
saying,  Hold  thy  peace,  and  come  out  of  him.  And  when  the 
demon  had  thrown  him  down  in  the  midst,  he  came  out  of 
him,  having  done  him  no  hurt.  36  And  amazement  came 
upon  all,  and  they  spake  together,  one  with  another,  saying, 
What  is  this  word?  for  with  authority  and  power  he  com- 
mandeth  the  unclean   spirits,  and  they  come  out.     37  And 


Luke  4: 38-44  THE  FIRST  PERIOD  55 

there  went  forth  a  rumor  concerning  him  into  every  place  of 
the  region  round  about. 

38  And  he  rose  up  from  the  synagogue,  and  entered  into 
the  house  of  Simon.  And  Simon's  wife's  mother  was  holden 
with  a  great  fever;  and  they  besought  him  for  her.  39  And 
he  stood  over  her,  and  rebuked  the  fever;  and  it  left  her: 
and  immediately  she  rose  up  and  ministered  unto  them. 

40  And  when  the  sun  was  setting,  all  they  that  had  any 
sick  with  divers  diseases  brought  them  unto  him;  and  he 
laid  his  hands  on  every  one  of  them,  and  healed  them.  41 
And  demons  also  came  out  from  many,  crying  out,  and  saying, 
Thou  art  the  Son  of  God.  And  rebuking  them,  he  suffered 
them  not  to  speak,  because  they  knew  that  he  was  the  Christ. 

42  And  when  it  was  day,  he  came  out  and  went  into  a 
desert  place :  and  the  multitudes  sought  after  him,  and  came 
unto  him,  and  would  have  stayed  him,  that  he  should  not  go 
from  them.  43  But  he  said  unto  them,  I  must  preach  the 
good  tidings  of  the  kingdom  of  God  to  the  other  cities  also: 
for  therefore  was  I  sent. 

44  And  he  was  preaching  in  the  synagogues  of  Galilee. 

The  Sabbath  at  Nazareth  is  placed  by  Luke  in  sudden 
contrast  with  a  Sabbath  passed  at  Capernaum.  On  the 
former,  as  the  story  opens,  Jesus  was  surrounded  by  his 
friends  and  townsmen ;  as  it  closes,  they  had  turned  into  a 
fierce  mob  which  was  seeking  his  death.  In  the 
latter,  as  the  scene  opens,  Jesus  was  faced  by  a  demon; 
but  as  it  closes,  he  was  surrounded  by  an  admiring  throng 
who  were  eager  to  have  him  remain  in  their  midst. 

Jesus  was  again  in  a  synagogue,  and  was  awakening  sur- 
prise by  the  character  of  his  message.  Unlike  the  teachers 
of  his  day,  he  spoke  with  authority  instead  of  quoting  re- 
puted "authorities"  as  he  unfolded  the  Scriptures.  Sud- 
denly the  service  was  interrupted  by  the  cries  of  a  man  who 
was  possessed  by  an  unclean  spirit.  Jesus  rebuked  the 
demon  and  compelled  him  to  come  out  of  the  man.  There 
can  be  little  doubt  that  the  evil  spirit  which  Jesus  thus 
controlled  was  an  actual  malign  being  who  controlled  the 
poor  sufferer  whom  Jesus  graciously  relieved ;  yet  such  an 
"unclean  spirit"  is  a  type  of  the  demoniac  power  of  envy 
and  of  lust  and  of  anger,  and  of  the  whole  host  of  debasing 
passions  from  which  Christ  alone  can  give  relief. 

The  second  scene  of  this  memorable  Sabbath  is  in  the 


56  THE  MINISTRY  IN  GALILEE      Luke  5:  1-3 

home  of  Simon  Peter ;  here  by  a  single  word  Jesus  relieved  a 
poor  sufferer  from  a  severe  fever.  The  cure  was  so  instan- 
taneous that  the  woman  who  had  been  sick  immediately 
"rose  up  and  ministered  unto  them."  It  is  probably  true 
that  in  many  homes  there  are  those,  not  afflicted  by  the 
power  of  evil  passions,  who  nevertheless  are  suffering  from 
worry  and  anxiety  and  fretfulness  and  unrest  and  so  are 
unable  to  render  to  others  the  gracious  service  which  they 
might  perform  if  they  could  but  hear  the  quieting  word  of 
Christ  and  feel  the  soothing  power  of  his  touch. 

The  third  scene  is  of  peculiar  beauty.  When  the  sun  had 
set  a  great  multitude  gathered  around  the  home  of  Peter, 
attracted  by  the  report  of  the  miracle  wrought  in  the  syna- 
gogue. They  brought  with  them  great  numbers  of  those 
who  were  sick  or  possessed  by  demons  and  Jesus  healed 
them  all.  This  is  a  picture  which  in  reality  is  being  repro- 
duced to-day.  Amid  the  shadows  and  mysteries  of  suffer- 
ing and  pain  the  Saviour  is  standing;  about  him  are  gathered 
those  whom  sin  has  stricken  with  its  disease,  the  sad,  the 
loveless,  the  lonely,  the  tempted,  the  hopeless,  the  lost. 
His  touch  "has  still  its  ancient  power."  In  his  mercy  he 
is  healing  them  all,  and  in  joy  they  are  going  away. 

The  last  scene  of  this  group  is  at  dawn  the  next  morning. 
Jesus  had  withdrawn  to  "a  desert  place,"  but  the  eager 
multitudes  had  found  him  and  were  beseeching  him  not  to 
go  from  them.  He  reminded  them,  however,  of  the  other 
cities  which  needed  to  hear  "the  good  tidings  of  the  king- 
dom of  God."  Have  all  of  us  who  have  felt  the  healing 
touch  of  Christ  something  of  his  sympathy  for  those  who 
have  not  yet  heard  the  good  news  of  his  grace? 

B.  THE  SECOND  PERIOD.    Chs.  5:  1  to  6:  11 
1.  The  Call  of  the  First  Disciples.     Ch.  5:1-11 

1  Now  it  came  to  pass,  while  the  multitude  pressed  upon 
him  and  heard  the  word  of  God,  that  he  was  standing  by  the 
lake  of  Gennesaret;  2  and  he  saw  two  boats  standing  by  the 
lake:  but  the  fishermen  had  gone  out  of  them,  and  were 
washing  their  nets.  3  And  he  entered  into  one  of  the  boats, 
which  was  Simon's,  and  asked  him  to  put  out  a  little  from 
the  land.    And  he  sat  down  and  taught  the  multitudes  out  of 


Luke  5.-4-11         THE  SECOND  PERIOD  57 

the  boat.  4  And  when  he  had  left  speaking,  he  said  unto 
Simon,  Put  out  into  the  deep,  and  let  down  your  nets  for  a 
draught.  5  And  Simon  answered  and  said,  Master,  we  toiled 
all  night,  and  took  nothing:  but  at  thy  word  I  will  let  down 
the  nets.  6  And  when  they  had  done  this,  they  inclosed  a 
great  multitude  of  fishes;  and  their  nets  were  breaking;  7 
and  they  beckoned  unto  their  partners  in  the  other  boat,  that 
they  should  come  and  help  them.  And  they  came,  and  filled 
both  the  boats,  so  that  they  began  to  sink.  8  But  Simon 
Peter,  when  he  saw  it,  fell  down  at  Jesus'  knees,  saying, 
Depart  from  me ;  for  I  am  a  sinful  man,  O  Lord.  9  For  he 
was  amazed,  and  all  that  were  with  him,  at  the  draught  of 
the  fishes  which  they  had  taken;  10  and  so  were  also  James 
and  John,  sons  of  Zebedee,  who  were  partners  with  Simon. 
And  Jesus  said  unto  Simon,  Fear  not;  from  henceforth  thou 
shalt  catch  men.  11  And  when  they  had  brought  their  boats 
to  land,  they  left  all,  and  followed  him. 

The  call  of  his  first  disciples  is  regarded  by  many  as  open- 
ing a  new  period  in  the  public  ministry  of  Jesus.  His  work 
was  now  to  assume  a  more  permanent  form.  The  growing 
popularity  of  his  preaching  indicated  that  the  gospel  was 
designed  for  the  whole  world.  For  such  a  proclamation  a 
definite  group  of  workers  must  be  prepared.  The  growth 
of  Christianity  ever  depends  upon  securing  men  wrho  will 
publicly  confess  and  follow  Christ. 

The  scene  of  this  call  is  described  as  being  "by  the  lake  of 
Gennesaret."  This  charming  sheet  of  water  brings  to 
mind  so  many  scenes  in  the  life  of  our  I^ord  that  it  has  been 
termed  a  "Fifth  Gospel."  On  its  western  and  northern 
side  were  the  cities  in  which  most  of  his  work  was  done;  the 
eastern  shores  were  not  inhabited  and  thither  Jesus  would 
resort  for  rest. 

Those  whom  Jesus  called  were  fishermen,  sturdy,  inde- 
pendent, fearless.  They  were  not  strangers  to  Jesus  nor 
had  they  been  indifferent  to  spiritual  truths.  They  had 
attended  the  preaching  of  the  Baptist  and  had  come  to  re- 
gard Jesus  as  the  Messiah,  but  they  were  now  called  to 
leave  their  homes  and  their  tasks  and  to  become  his  con- 
stant companions  and  disciples. 

On  this  occasion  Jesus  had  borrowed  the  boat  belonging 
to  one  of  his  friends  to  use  as  a  pulpit  and  from  this  he  had 


58  THE  MINISTRY  IN  GALILEE    Luke5:12-16 

addressed  the  crowds.  When  he  had  finished  his  discourse, 
he  gave  to  the  four  men  he  was  about  to  call  an  impressive 
object  lesson  of  the  character  of  the  work  and  of  the  great 
success  which  would  attend  their  ministry  if  they  would 
forsake  all  and  follow  him.  He  wrought  a  miracle  espe- 
cially impressive  because  it  was  in  the  sphere  of  their  daily 
calling  at  a  time  and  place  where  they  were  sure  it  was  use- 
less to  fish.  They  were  enabled  by  the  guidance  of  Jesus  to 
take  such  a  draft  of  fishes  that  their  nets  were  strained  and 
their  boats  so  loaded  as  nearly  to  sink.  It  was  so  plainly  a 
manifestation  of  supernatural  power  that  Peter  felt  himself 
to  be  in  the  presence  of  a  divine  Being  and  expressed 
the  fear  which  all  have  felt  when  face  to  face  with  God. 
Jesus  spoke  the  word  which  not  only  removed  the  terror  of 
Peter  but  gave  to  him  and  his  companions  courage  for  all 
the  coming  years,  "Fear  not;  from  henceforth  thou  shalt 
catch  men." 

So  to-day  Jesus  is  calling  men  to  become  his  disciples. 
Obedience  may  involve  sacrifice,  but  it  is  certain  to  result 
in  the  saving  of  human  souls. 

2.  Jesus  Cleansing  a  Leper.     Ch.  5:12-16 

12  And  it  came  to  pass,  while  he  was  in  one  of  the  cities, 
behold,  a  man  full  of  leprosy:  and  when  he  saw  Jesus,  he  fell 
on  his  face,  and  besought  him,  saying,  Lord,  if  thou  wilt, 
thou  canst  make  me  clean.  13  And  he  stretched  forth  his 
hand,  and  touched  him,  saying,  I  will ;  be  thou  made  clean. 
And  straightway  the -leprosy  departed  from  him.  14  And  he 
charged  him  to  tell  no  man :  but  go  thy  way,  and  show  thyself 
to  the  priest,  and  offer  for  thy  cleansing,  according  as  Moses 
commanded,  for  testimony  unto  them.  IS  But  so  much  the 
more  went  abroad  the  'report  concerning  him:  and  great  mul- 
titudes came  together  to  hear,  and  to  be  healed  of  their  in- 
firmities. 16  But  he  withdrew  himself  in  the  deserts,  and 
prayed. 

Leprosy  was  regarded  as  the  most  loathsome  and  terrible 
of  diseases.  It  existed  in  various  forms  but  its  invariable 
feature  was  its  foul  uncleanness.  The  leper  was  an  out- 
cast; he  was  compelled  to  live  apart  from  the  dwellings  of 
men.  He  was  required  to  wear  a  covering  over  his  mouth 
and  to  give  warning  of  his  approach  by  crying,  "Unclean! 


Luke  5:  17-24       THE  SECOND  PERIOD  59 

Unclean!"  His  case  was  regarded  as  hopeless;  he  was 
reckoned  as  dead.  Loathsome,  insidious,  corrupting,  per- 
vasive, isolating,  ceremonially  and  physically  defiling, 
surely  leprosy  is  a  fitting  emblem  of  sin;  and  this  graphic 
narrative  presents  a  parable  of  the  power  of  Christ  to 
cleanse  and  to  heal  and  to  restore.  It  is  a  vivid  picture 
which  Luke  draws;  the  humble  trust  of  the  poor  sufferer, 
his  pitiful  cry,  the  sympathetic  touch  of  Jesus,  the  word  of 
command  and  the  instant  cure.  While  Jesus  forbade  the 
man  to  arouse  excitement  by  telling  of  his  healing,  he  com- 
manded him  to  report  his  case  to  the  priest,  that  the  highest 
religious  authorities  might  have  unanswerable  testimony 
to  the  divine  power  of  Christ,  and  also  that  the  man  might 
bring  the  offerings  required  by  the  Law  and  thus  express  his 
gratitude  to  God.  Our  Master  does  expect  all  who  have 
felt  his  healing  touch  to  testify  of  his  grace  and  to  show 
their  gratitude  by  offering  to  him  the  service  of  their  lives. 
Such  miracles  could  not  be  hid .  The  crowds  so  pressed 
upon  Jesus  that  he  was  forced  to  withdraw  to  the  desert  for 
rest ;  and  as  the  scene  closed  he  who  had  startled  the  multi- 
tude by  the  manifestation  of  his  divine  power  was  left  alone 
seeking  help  from  God  in  prayer. 

3.  Jesus  Forgiving  Sins.     Ch.  5:17-26 

17  And  it  came  to  pass  on  one  of  those  days,  that  he  was 
teaching;  and  there  were  Pharisees  and  doctors  of  the  law 
sitting  by,  who  were  come  out  of  every  village  of  Galilee  and 
Judaea  and  Jerusalem:  and  the  power  of  the  Lord  was  with 
him  to  heal.  18  And  behold,  men  bring  on  a  bed  a  man  that 
was  palsied :  and  they  sought  to  bring  him  in,  and  to  lay  him 
before  him.  19  And  not  finding  by  what  way  they  might 
bring  him  in  because  of  the  multitude,  they  went  up  to  the 
housetop,  and  let  him  down  through  the  tiles  with  his  couch 
into  the  midst  before  Jesus.  20  And  seeing  their  faith,  he 
said,  Man,  thy  sins  are  forgiven  thee.  21  And  the  scribes 
and  the  Pharisees  began  to  reason,  saying,  Who  is  this  that 
speaketh  blasphemies?  Who  can  forgive  sins,  but  God  alone? 
22  But  Jesus  perceiving  their  reasonings,  answered  and  said 
unto  them,  Why  reason  ye  in  your  hearts?  23  Which  is  easier, 
to  say,  Thy  sins  are  forgiven  thee ;  or  to  say,  Arise  and  walk? 
24  But  that  ye  may  know  that  the  Son  of  man  hath  authority 
on  earth  to  forgive  sins  (he  said  unto  him  that  was  palsied), 


60  THE  MINISTRY  IN  GALILEE    Luke  5:  25,  26 

I  say  unto  thee,  Arise,  and  take  up  thy  couch,  and  go  unto 
thy  house.  25  And  immediately  he  rose  up  before  them,  and 
took  up  that  whereon  he  lay,  and  departed  to  his  h^use,  glori- 
fying God.  26  And  amazement  took  hold  on  all,  and  they 
glorified  God;  and  they  were  filled  with  fear,  saying,  We 
have  seen  strange  things  to-day. 

Leprosy  was  the  symbol  of  the  uncleanness  of  sin ;  paral- 
ysis of  its  impotence  and  pain.  On  the  occasion  of  healing 
a  paralytic,  Jesus,  however,  did  something  more  startling: 
he  forgave  sin.  The  poor  sufferer  had  been  borne  by  his 
four  friends  who  were  discouraged  by  no  obstacles.  When 
they  were  unable  to  enter  the  house  wrhere  Jesus  was,  be- 
cause of  the  multitudes  which  surrounded  it,  they  went  to 
the  roof  and  let  the  sick  man  down  through  the  tiles  into 
the  very  presence  of  Christ.  Their  earnestness  is  a  rebuke 
to  us  who  make  so  little  effort  to  bring  our  comrades  within 
the  healing  influence  of  our  Lord. 

Jesus  recognized  the  faith  both  of  the  man  and  of  his 
friends  and  responded  with  an  utterance  which  occasioned 
his  hearers  more  surprise  than  had  the  opening  of  the  roof, 
"Man,  thy  sins  are  forgiven  thee."  No  request  had  been 
made  for  such  forgiveness,  but  Jesus  read  the  heart.  He 
saw  the  yearning  of  the  sufferer  for  healing  not  only  of  his 
body  but  of  his  soul.  He  recognized  his  sorrow  for  the  sin 
which  had  caused  the  sickness,  and  the  anguish  of  remorse 
and  immediately  he  spoke  the  word  of  pardon  and  of  peace. 
Thus  Jesus  voiced  the  message  which  the  world  seems  re- 
luctant to  accept.  He  declared  that  physical  ills  and  social 
evils  are  less  serious  than  the  moral  and  spiritual  maladies 
of  which  they  are  the  symptoms  and  the  results;  and  fur- 
ther, he  expressed  his  claim  of  divine  power  to  pronounce 
pardon  and  to  remove  guilt. 

This  claim  at  once  aroused  the  bitter  resentment  of  the 
scribes  and  Pharisees  who  were  present  and  they  began  to 
reason:  "Who  is  this  that  speaketh  blasphemies?  Who 
can  forgive  sins,  but  God  alone?"  Their  reasoning  was 
correct.  Jesus  was  a  blasphemer  worthy  of  death,  or  else 
he  was  divine. 

To  prove  his  deity  Jesus  proposed  an  immediate  test: 
"Which  is  easier,  to  say,  Thy  sins  are  forgiven  thee;  or  to 


Luke  5: 27-32       THE  SECOND  PERIOD  61 

say,'  Arise  and  walk?"  Of  course  neither  is  easier;  either 
requires  divine  power.  Therefore,  when  at  the  word  of 
Jesus  the  man  arose  and  started  for  his  home,  "glorifying 
God,"  it  is  not  strange  that  "amazement  took  hold  on  all, 
and  they  glorified  God." 

Thus  the  miracles  of  Christ  were  real  proofs  of  his  deity 
as  well  as  expressions  of  his  love ;  they  were  moreover  para- 
bles of  his  ability  and  willingness  to  deliver  man  from  the 
guilt  and  power  of  sin. 

4.  The  Call  of  Levi.     Ch.  5:27-32 

27  And  after  these  things  he  went  forth,  and  beheld  a 
publican,  named  Levi,  sitting  at  the  place  of  toll,  and  said 
unto  him,  Follow  me.  28  And  he  forsook  all,  and  rose  up 
and  followed  him. 

29  And  Levi  made  him  a  great  feast  in  his  house:  and 
there  was  a  great  multitude  of  publicans  and  of  others  that 
were  sitting  at  meat  with  them.  30  And  the  Pharisees  and 
their  scribes  murmured  against  his  disciples,  saying,  Why  do 
ye  eat  and  drink  with  the  publicans  and  sinners?  31  And 
Jesus  answering  said  unto  them,  They  that  are  in  health 
have  no  need  of  a  physician ;  but  they  that  are  sick.  32  I  am 
not  come  to  call  the  righteous  but  sinners  to  repentance. 

Nothing  could  further  emphasize  the  sympathy  of  Jesus 
than  his  calling  a  publican  to  be  his  close  companion  and 
friend.  These  taxgatherers  were  everywhere  despised  for 
their  dishonesty,  extortion,  and  greed ;  but  Jesus  chose  one 
of  them  named  Levi,  or  Matthew,  and  transformed  him 
into  an  apostle,  an  evangelist,  and  a  saint. 

There  must  have  been  something  admirable  in  the  char- 
acter of  the  man;  at  least  there  was  something  inspiring 
in  his  example,  for  as  soon  as  he  heard  the  clear  call  of 
the  Master,  "He  forsook  all,  and  rose  up  and  followed 
him." 

Probably  he  had  more  to  leave  than  any  of  the  twelve 
men  who  became  apostles  of  Christ.  He  must  have  been 
possessed  of  wealth.  At  least,  as  soon  as  he  was  converted, 
he  made  "a  great  feast  in  his  house"  and  invited  "a  great 
multitude  of  publicans  and  of  others"  to  be  his  guests.  He 
had  the  courage  of  his  convictions;  he  was  not  ashamed  of 


62  THE  MINISTRY  IN  GALILEE    Luke  5: 33-37 

his  new  Master.  He  was  eager  to  have  his  old  friends 
introduced  to  Christ. 

It  was  on  the  occasion  of  this  feast  that  Jesus  was  criti- 
cized by  the  Pharisees  for  eating  and  drinking  with  publi- 
cans and  sinners.  He  made  this  most  significant  reply: 
"They  that  are  in  health  have  no  need  of  a  physician;  but 
they  that  are  sick.  I  am  not  come  to  call  the  righteous  but 
vsinners  to  repentance."  By  this  statement  Jesus  empha- 
sized and  vindicated  his  conduct  and  defined  his  mission. 
A  physician  enters  a  sick  room,  not  because  he  delights  in 
disease  or  rejoices  in  suffering,  but  because  he  desires  to 
cure  and  to  relieve;  so  Jesus  companied  with  sinners  not  be- 
cause he  countenanced  sin  or  enjoyed  the  society  of  the  de- 
praved, but  because,  as  a  healer  of  souls,  he  was  willing  to 
go  where  he  was  most  needed  and  to  work  where  the  rav- 
ages of  sin  were  most  severe.  He  came  into  the  world  to 
save  sinners.  Their  conduct  distressed  him,  their  sins 
pained  him;  but  to  accomplish  his  task  he  sought  them  out 
and  showed  his  sympathy  by  his  presence  and  by  his  heal- 
ing power. 

Are  there  any  who  do  not  need  the  spiritual  cure  he  can 
effect?  Are  any  "sound" ;  are  some  not  "sinners"?  These 
questions  each  must  answer  for  himself.  Probably  those 
who  like  the  Pharisees  are  least  conscious  of  their  sickness 
are  in  most  desperate  danger.  Then  again,  are  those  who 
know  his  power  willing  like  the  Master  to  go  with  his  gospel 
to  the  places  of  greatest  need? 

5.  The  Question  of  Fasting.  Ch.  5  :  33-39 

33  And  they  said  unto  him,  The  disciples  of  John  fast 
often,  and  make  supplications;  likewise  also  the  disciples  of 
the  Pharisees;  but  thine  eat  and  drink.  34  And  Jesus  said 
unto  them,  Can  ye  make  the  sons  of  the  bride-chamber  fast, 
while  the  bridegroom  is  with  them?  35  But  the  days  will 
come;  and  when  the  bridegroom  shall  be  taken  away  from 
them,  then  will  they  fast  in  those  days.  36  And  he  spake  also 
a  parable  unto  them:  No  man  rendeth  a  piece  from  a  new 
garment  and  putteth  it  upon  an  old  garment;  else  he  will  rend 
the  new,  and  also  the  piece  from  the  new  will  not  agree  with 
the  old.  37  And  no  man  putteth  new  wine  into  old  wine- 
skins ;  else  the  new  wine  will  burst  the  skins,  and  itself  will 


Luke  5: 38, 39       THE  SECOND  PERIOD  63 

be  spilled,  and  the  skins  will  perish.  38  But  new  wine  must 
be  put  into  fresh  wine-skins.  39  And  no  man  having  drunk 
old  wine  desireth  new ;  for  he  saith,  The  old  is  good. 

The  Pharisees  were  disturbed  by  the  attitude  of  Jesus 
toward  sinners.  Much  more  were  they  distressed  by  his 
attitude  toward  the  forms  and  ceremonies  which  to  their 
mind  constituted  the  very  essence  of  religion.  This  atti- 
tude had  been  expressed  by  the  failure  of  Jesus  to  require 
his  disciples  to  observe  the  fasts  which  had  become  so  prom- 
inent in  the  system  of  legalism  taught  by  the  religious  lead- 
ers of  the  Jews.  The  Law  of  Moses  prescribed  no  fasts. 
The  rabbis  had  so  multiplied  them  that  a  Pharisee  could 
boast  of  fasting  "twice  in  the  week."  The  disciples  of  John 
the  Baptist  were  taught  to  fast  frequently,  not  as  an  empty 
form,  but  to  express  the  solemn  character  of  the  ministry  of 
John  who  had  come  preaching  "repentance  unto  remission 
of  sins."  It  was  not  strange,  therefore,  that  the  enemies  of 
Jesus  came  to  him  with  a  complaint  and  with  the  question, 
"The  disciples  of  John  fast  often,  and  make  supplications; 
likewise  also  the  disciples  of  the  Pharisees;  but  thine  eat 
and  drink."  In  his  reply  Jesus  stated  distinctly  the  view 
his  followers  should  take,  not  only  of  fasting  but  of  all  re- 
ligious forms:  "Can  ye  make  the  sons  of  the  bride-chamber 
fast,  while  the  bridegroom  is  with  them?  But  the  days 
will  come;  and  when  the  bridegroom  shall  be  taken  away 
from  them,  then  will  they  fast  in  those  days."  Fasting  is 
an  expression  of  sorrow.  How  absurd  then  would  it  be  for 
Jesus'  followers  to  fast  while  the  heavenly  Bridegroom  was 
with  them!  They  might  express  their  distress  thus  when 
he  should  be  taken  away.  Thus  Jesus  declared  that  fast- 
ing, like  all  religious  rites,  may  be  quite  fitting  if  it  is  a  true 
expression  of  religious  feeling,  but  if  it  is  a  matter  of  form, 
of  rule,  or  requirement,  if  it  is  regarded  as  a  ground  of  merit, 
it  is  an  absurdity  and  an  impertinence. 

Jesus  added  a  parable  which  further  indicates  his  atti- 
tude toward  all  the  rites  and  ceremonies  in  which  the  Phar- 
isees took  such  delight.  He  declared  that  he  had  not  come 
to  regulate  the  fasts  and  feasts  or  to  amend  the  Jewish  rit- 
ual. That  would  be  like  sewing  a  new  patch  on  an  old 
garment.     This  religion  of  ceremonies  had  served  its  pur- 


64  THE  MINISTRY  IN  GALILEE    Luke  6:  1-10 

pose.  Jesus  had  come  with  something  new  and  better. 
The  life  of  freedom  and  of  joy  which  he  was  imparting 
could  not  be  bound  up  in  the  narrow  forms  and  rites  of 
Judaism.  New  wine  could  not  be  kept  in  old  wine  skins. 
Christianity  cannot  be  comprehended  by  any  system  of 
rites  and  ceremonies.  It  must  not  be  interpreted  as  a  set 
of  rules  and  requirements;  it  must  not  be  confused  with  any 
ritual.  It  controls  men,  not  by  rules,  but  by  motives.  Its 
symbol  is  not  a  fast  but  a  feast,  for  its  pervasive  spirit  is 

joy- 
As  reported  by  Luke,  Jesus  added  a  characteristic  phrase 
indicating  his  tender  sympathy,  "And  no  man  having 
drunk  old  wine  desireth  new;  for  he  saith,  The  old  is  good." 
Those  who  long  have  been  accustomed  to  a  religion  of 
forms  find  it  difficult  to  be  satisfied  with  the  religion  of 
faith.  We  must  be  patient  with  them.  It  is  not  easy  for 
them  to  give  up  the  practices  of  childhood  and  it  takes  time 
for  them  to  learn  the  gladness  and  the  freedom  of  spiritual 
maturity  offered  to  the  followers  of  Christ. 

6.  The  Sabbath  Controversy.     Ch.  6  :  1-11 

1  Now  it  came  to  pass  on  a  sabbath,  that  he  was  going 
through  the  grainfields;  and  his  disciples  plucked  the  ears, 
and  did  eat,  rubbing  them  in  their  hands.  2  But  certain  of  the 
Pharisees  said,  Why  do  ye  that  which  it  is  not  lawful  to  do  on 
the  sabbath  day?  3  And  Jesus  answering  them  said,  Have 
ye  not  read  even  this,  what  David  did,  when  he  was  hungry, 
he,  and  they  that  were  with  him;  4  how  he  entered  into  the 
house  of  God,  and  took  and  ate  the  showbread,  and  gave 
also  to  them  that  were  with  him;  which  it  is  not  lawful  to  eat 
save  for  the  priests  alone?  5  And  he  said  unto  them,  The 
Son  of  man  is  lord  of  the  sabbath. 

6  And  it  came  to  pass  on  another  sabbath,  that  he  entered 
into  the  synagogue  and  taught:  and  there  was  a  man  there, 
and  his  right  hand  was  withered.  7  And  the  scribes  and  the 
Pharisees  watched  him,  whether  he  would  heal  on  the  sab- 
bath; that  they  might  find  how  to  accuse  him.  8  But  he 
knew  their  thoughts;  and  he  said  to  the  man  that  had  his 
hand  withered,  Rise  up,  and  stand  forth  in  the  midst.  And 
he  arose  and  stood  forth.  9  And  Jesus  said  unto  them,  I  ask 
you,  Is  it  lawful  on  the  sabbath  to  do  good,  or  to  do  harm? 
to  save  a  life,  or  to  destroy  it?    10  And  he  looked  round  about 


Luke  6:  11  ,  THE  SECOND  PERIOD  65 

on  them  all,  and  said  unto  him,  Stretch  forth  thy  hand.  And 
he  did  so:  and  his  hand  was  restored.  1 1  But  they  were  filled 
with  madness;  and  communed  one  with  another  what  they 
might  do  to  Jesus. 

Jesus  had  aroused  the  anger  of  the  Pharisees  by  his  claim 
to  forgive  sins.  He  had  further  enraged  them  by  his  treat- 
ment of  sinners.  But  he  brought  their  hatred  to  a  climax 
of  fury  by  his  attitude  toward  Sabbath  observance.  Hence- 
forth they  sought  to  destroy  him. 

The  question  of  the  Sabbath  has  never  lost  its  interest. 
The  followers  of  Christ  need  to  stand  firmly  by  the  princi- 
ples set  forth  by  their  Lord.  These  principles  are  few  but 
fundamental:  The  Sabbath  is  a  day  designed  for  worship 
and  for  rest  and  is  to  be  broken  only  by  works  of  necessity 
and  of  mercy. 

The  first  of  these  exceptions  to  the  required  rest  of  the 
Sabbath  Day  was  illustrated  by  the  case  of  the  disciples  who 
were  accused  by  the  Pharisees  of  breaking  the  Sabbath  be- 
cause as  they  walked  through  the  fields  they  picked  the 
ripened  ears  and  thus,  according  to  the  interpretation  of 
their  enemies,  were  guilty  of  working  on  the  Sabbath  Day. 
Our  Lord  did  not  deny  that  the  Sabbath  law  had  been 
broken.  He  merely  referred  his  enemies  to  the  case  of 
David  and  his  followers  who,  forced  by  hunger,  broke  the 
Mosaic  Law  in  entering  the  tabernacle  and  eating  the 
"showbread."  Jesus  argued  that,  when  necessary  to  re- 
lieve their  hunger,  his  followers  were  also  justified  in  disre- 
garding the  law  of  rest. 

An  illustration  of  the  second  exception  to  the  law  of  abso- 
lute cessation  from  labor  was  given  "on  another  sabbath" 
when  in  the  synagogue  Jesus  healed  a  man  whose  right 
hand  was  "withered."  The  Pharisees  regarded  this  action 
of  Jesus  as  another  breach  of  the  law  of  rest.  Jesus  de- 
fended his  action  on  the  ground  that  it  was  dictated  by 
mercy  and  that  work  which  secured  relief  from  suffering 
was  allowable  on  the  Sabbath  Day.  He  replied  to  his 
enemies  by  a  searching  question,  assuming  the  principle 
that  refraining  from  help  is  the  same  as  inflicting  harm. 
He  asked  them  whether  they  regarded  the  Sabbath  Day  as 
of  such  character  as  to  make  it  right  on  that  day  to  do  that 


66  THE  MINISTRY  IN  GALILEE     Luke  6:  12-19 

which  on  other  days  was  wrong:  "I  ask  you,  Is  it  lawful  on 
the  sabbath  to  do  good,  or  to  do  harm?  to  save  a  life,  or  to 
destroy  it?" 

While  Jesus  taught  that  the  law  of  rest  might  thus  be 
broken  to  meet  the  necessities  of  man  and  to  show  mercy  to 
those  in  need  or  in  distress,  he  by  no  means  abrogated  the 
Sabbath.  He  declared,  however,  that  "the  Son  of  man  is 
lord  of  the  sabbath,"  by  which  he  meant  that  as  the  repre- 
sentative of  men  he  had  a  right  to  interpret  the  Law  for  the 
highest  good  of  man.  He  was  justified  in  relieving  the 
Sabbath  from  the  narrow  and  burdensome  observances 
which  had  been  bound  upon  it  by  the  Pharisees  and  to  re- 
store it  to  mankind  as  a  glad  day  of  rest  and  of  refreshment 
and  of  fellowship  with  God. 

C.  THE  THIRD  PERIOD.     Chs.  6:  12  to  8:  56 
1.  The  Choice  of  the  Twelve.     Ch.  6  :  12-19 

12  And  it  came  to  pass  in  these  days,  that  he  went  out  into 
the  mountain  to  pray ;  and  he  continued  all  night  in  prayer  to 
God.  13  And  when  it  was  day,  he  called  his  disciples ;  and 
he  chose  from  them  twelve,  whom  also  he  named  apostles: 

14  Simon,  whom  he  also  named  Peter,  and  Andrew  his 
brother,  and  James  and  John,  and  Philip  and  Bartholomew, 

15  and  Matthew  and  Thomas,  and  James  the  son  of  Alphaeus, 
and  Simon  who  was  called  the  Zealot,  16  and  Judas  the  son 
of  James,  and  Judas  Iscariot,  who  became  a  traitor;  17  and 
he  came  down  with  them,  and  stood  on  a  level  place,  and  a 
great  multitude  of  his  disciples,  and  a  great  number  of  the 
people  from  all  Judaea  and  Jerusalem,  and  the  sea  coast  of 
Tyre  and  Sidon,  who  came  to  hear  him,  and  to  be  healed  of 
their  diseases ;  18  and  they  that  were  troubled  with  unclean 
spirits  were  healed.  19  And  all  the  multitude  sought  to  touch 
him;  for  power  came  forth  from  him,  and  healed  them  all. 

The  choice  of  the  twelve  apostles  marks  a  new  and  im- 
portant period  in  the  public  ministry  of  our  Lord.  The 
deep  significance  of  the  act  is  indicated  by  Luke  in  his 
statement  that  Jesus  passed  the  entire  preceding  night  in 
prayer  to  God.  One  reason  for  his  decision  may  have  been 
the  mad  hatred  of  the  Pharisees  whose  anger  had  now 
reached  a  murderous  height.  To  give  more  assured  per- 
manence to  his  work  Jesus  saw  the  necessity  of  organizing 


Luke  6: 12-19         THE  THIRD  PERIOD  67 

his  followers.  He  had  been  surrounded  by  a  multitude  of 
disciples,  some  of  whom  were  his  constant  companions,  but 
he  now  determined  to  appoint  officers  who  would  act  as 
trained  leaders,  who  would  be  his  official  messengers  ac- 
credited by  miraculous  powers. 

In  all  four  places  in  the  New  Testament  where  the  names 
of  these  twelve  apostles  are  found,  they  are  arranged  in 
three  invariable  groups,  possibly  in  accordance  with  their 
intimacy  with  Jesus  and  their  real  service  to  him.  In  all 
ages  there  have  been  among  his  followers  such  concentric 
circles,  such  inner  groups,  who  have  been  blessed  by  pecul- 
iar intimacy  with  their  Lord,  not  due  to  his  arbitrary 
choice,  but  to  their  peculiar  capacities  for  love  and  obedi- 
ence and  faith. 

The  first  six  mentioned  by  Luke  were  men  who  under  the 
influence  of  John  the  Baptist  had  become  the  first  followers 
of  Christ.  Other  things  being  equal,  those  who  have  known 
Jesus  longest  are  able  to  serve  him  best. 

The  chief  place  in  the  first  group  is  always  assigned  to 
Simon  Peter,  bold,  impulsive,  fickle,  but  possessing  the  pe- 
culiar powers  of  leadership  which  qualified  him  for  the 
place  of  primacy  among  the  apostles  of  our  Lord. 

With  him  Luke  names  his  brother  Andrew,  probably  a 
man  of  less  ability  and  strength,  but  one  who  will  ever  be 
remembered  as  having  brought  Peter  into  fellowship  with 
Jesus.  None  can  ever  tell  what  share  in  the  reward  of  a 
more  famous  worker  will  be  enjoyed  by  one  more  obscure 
to  whom  the  greater  leader  owes  his  Christian  career. 

The  next  to  be  mentioned  are  James  and  John,  the  "sons 
of  thunder,"  the  courageous,  loving,  faithful  companions 
who  with  Peter  form  the  inmost  circle  of  the  followers  of 
Christ.  James  was  the  first  to  suffer  martyrdom  for  the 
sake  of  his  Master,  while  John  lingered  longest  of  all  the 
apostolic  band,  testifying  to  the  cause  of  him  who  had 
chosen  John  as  his  closest  friend,  and  for  whose  return 
John  continued  to  watch  and  to  wait. 

Of  the  second  four,  the  first  to  be  mentioned  are  Philip 
and  Bartholomew;  the  latter  is  supposed  to  be  the  same  as 
Nathanael,  the  Israelite  without  guile  whom  Philip  won  as 
a  disciple  for  Christ. 


68  THE  MINISTRY  IN  GALILEE    Luke  6: 12-19 

The  next  were  Matthew  and  Thomas.  The  former  had 
been  a  despised  publican,  but  his  training  had  prepared  him 
to  become  a  careful  recorder  of  facts,  so  that  after  his  inti- 
mate fellowship  with  Christ  he  became  one  of  his  biograph- 
ers and  wrote  that  which  is  numbered  as  the  first  of  the 
Gospels.  Thomas  has  won  the  reputation  of  being  a 
doubting  disciple.  He  was  certainly  naturally  despondent 
and  incredulous.  The  fact,  however,  that  such  a  man  be- 
came convinced  of  the  resurrection  of  Christ  so  soon  after 
the  event  is  one  of  the  most  important  testimonies  to  the 
reality  of  the  fundamental  fact  of  our  Christian  faith. 

As  to  the  last  group,  we  know  nothing  of  James,  the  son 
of  Alphaeus,  commonly  called  "James  tne  less"  in  contrast 
with  James  the  brother  of  John ;  but  it  is  surely  a  mistake  to 
identify  him  with  James  the  brother  of  our  Lord  who  be- 
came the  head  of  the  church  in  Jerusalem  and  wrote  the 
Epistle  which  bears  his  name.  "Simon  who  was  called  the 
Zealot"  was  by  this  latter  title  distinguished  from  Simon 
Peter.  If  this  title  is  correctly  interpreted,  he  had  formerly 
belonged  to  that  fanatical  party  of  Jews  who  were  pro- 
moters and  supporters  of  the  revolt  against  Rome,  which 
finally  resulted  in  the  destruction  of  Jerusalem. 

Judas,  the  son  of  James,  is  carefully  distinguished  in  the 
narrative  from  the  traitor  whose  infamous  name  always 
comes  last  on  the  list  of  apostles  and  is  never  mentioned  in 
Scripture  without  some  designation  of  disgrace  and  shame. 
Why  he  should  have  been  chosen  as  a  follower  of  Christ  no 
one  can  sufficiently  explain,  yet  there  must  have  been  in 
him  original  elements  of  good.  There  was  surely  the  possi- 
bility of  development  into  usefulness  and  sainthood,  but  he 
tried  to  cherish  the  passion  of  greed  while  companying 
with  Jesus,  and  the  inevitable  reaction  was  so  great  and 
rapid  that  he  soon  degenerated  into  a  thief  and  a  traitor. 
His  fate  serves  as  a  warning  to  all  the  followers  of  Christ 
and  his  testimony  to  the  character  of  Jesus  has  been  re- 
peated through  all  the  years,  "I  have  .  .  .  betrayed  inno- 
cent blood." 

All  of  the  Twelve  were  men  of  modest  means  and  humble 
stations  in  life;  they  were  men  of  moderate  ability,  and 
most  of  their  names  are  still  obscure;  yet  they  were  the  first 


Luke  6: 20-38         THE  THIRD  PERIOD  69 

leaders  and  the  real  organizers  of  the  most  important  so- 
ciety the  world  has  known,  and  their  names  are  yet  to  be 
graven  on  the  foundations  of  the  holy  city,  the  light  of 
which  is  to  fill  the  earth  with  glory. 

2.  The  Great  Sermon.     Ch.  6  :  20-49 

20  And  he  lifted  up  his  eyes  on  his  disciples,  and  said, 
Blessed  are  ye  poor:  for  yours  is  the  kingdom  of  God.  21 
Blessed  are  ye  that  hunger  now:  for  ye  shall  be  filled.  Blessed 
are  ye  that  weep  now:  for  ye  shall  laugh.  22  Blessed  are  ye, 
when  men  shall  hate  you,  and  when  they  shall  separate  you 
from  their  company,  and  reproach  you,  and  cast  out  your 
name  as  evil,  for  the  Son  of  man's  sake.  23  Rejoice  in  that 
day,  and  leap  for  joy:  for  behold,  your  reward  is  great  in 
heaven;  for  in  the  same  manner  did  their  fathers  unto  the 
prophets.  24  But  woe  unto  you  that  are  rich !  for  ye  have  re- 
ceived your  consolation.  25  Woe  unto  you,  ye  that  are  full 
now!  for  ye  shall  hunger.  Woe  unto  you,  ye  that  laugh  now 
for  ye  shall  mourn  and  weep.  26  Woe  unto  you,  when  all 
men  shall  speak  well  of  you!  for  in  the  same  manner  did 
their  fathers  to  the  false  prophets. 

27  But  I  say  unto  you  that  hear,  Love  your  enemies,  do 
good  to  them  that  hate  you,  28  bless  them  that  curse  you, 
pray  for  them  that  despitefully  use  you.  29  To  him  that 
smiteth  thee  on  the  one  cheek  offer  also  the  other;  and  from 
him  that  taketh  away  thy  cloak  withhold  not  thy  coat  also. 
30  Give  to  every  one  that  asketh  thee;  and  of  him  that  taketh 
away  thy  goods  ask  them  not  again.  31  And  as  ye  would 
that  men  should  do  to  you,  do  ye  also  to  them  likewise.  32 
And  if  ye  love  them  that  love  you,  what  thank  have  ye?  for 
even  sinners  love  those  that  love  them.  33  And  if  ye  do  good 
to  them  that  do  good  to  you,  what  thank  have  ye?  for  even 
sinners  do  the  same.  34  And  if  ye  lend  to  them  of  whom  ye 
hope  to  receive,  what  thank  have  ye?  even  sinners  lend  to 
sinners,  to  receive  again  as  much.  35  But  love  your  enemies, 
and  do  them  good,  and  lend,  never  despairing;  and  your  re- 
ward shall  be  great,  and  ye  shall  be  sons  of  the  Most  High: 
for  he  is  kind  toward  the  unthankful  and  evil.  36  Be  ye 
merciful,  even  as  your  Father  is  merciful.  37  And  judge 
not,  and  ye  shall  not  be  judged:  and  condemn  not,  and  ye 
shall  not  be  condemned:  release,  and  ye  shall  be  released: 
38  give,  and  it  shall  be  given  unto  you ;  good  measure,  pressed 
down,  shaken  together,  running  over,  shall  they  give  into 


70  THE  MINISTRY  IN  GALILEE     Luke  6:  39-49 

your  bosom.  For  with  what  measure  ye  mete  it  shall  be 
measured  to  you  again. 

39  And  he  spake  also  a  parable  unto  them,  Can  the  blind 
guide  the  blind?  shall  they  not  both  fall  into  a  pit?  40  The 
disciple  is  not  above  his  teacher:  but  every  one  when  he  is 
perfected  shall  be  as  his  teacher.  41  And  why  beholdest 
thou  the  mote  that  is  in  thy  brother's  eye,  but  considerest  not 
the  beam  that  is  in  thine  own  eye?  42  Or  how  canst  thou  say 
to  thy  brother,  Brother,  let  me  cast  out  the  mote  that  is  in 
thine  eye,  when  thou  thyself  beholdest  not  the  beam  that  is 
in  thine  own  eye?  Thou  hypocrite,  cast  out  first  the  beam 
out  of  thine  own  eye,  and  then  shalt  thou  see  clearly  to  cast 
out  the  mote  that  is  in  thy  brother's  eye.  43  For  there  is  no 
good  tree  that  bringeth  forth  corrupt  fruit;  nor  again  a  cor- 
rupt tree  that  bringeth  forth  good  fruit.  44  For  each  tree 
is  known  by  its  own  fruit.  For  of  thorns  men  do  not  gather 
figs,  nor  of  a  bramble  bush  gather  they  grapes.  45  The 
good  man  out  of  the  good  treasure  of  his  heart  bringeth 
forth  that  which  is  good;  and  the  evil  man  out  of  the  evil 
treasure  bringeth  forth  that  which  is  evil :  for  out  of  the  abun- 
dance of  the  heart  his  mouth  speaketh. 

46  And  why  call  ye  me,  Lord,  Lord,  and  do  not  the  things 
which  I  say?  47  Every  one  that  cometh  unto  me,  and  heareth 
my  words,  and  doeth  them,  I  will  show  you  to  whom  he  is 
like :  48  he  is  like  a  man  building  a  house,  who  digged  and 
went  deep,  and  laid  a  foundation  upon  the  rock:  and  when 
a  flood  arose,  the  stream  brake  against  that  house,  and  could 
not  shake  it:  because  it  had  been  well  builded.  49  But  he 
that  heareth,  and  doeth  not,  is  like  a  man  that  built  a  house 
upon  the  earth  without  a  foundation;  against  which  the 
stream  brake,  and  straightway  it  fell  in;  and  the  ruin  of 
that  house  was  great. 

It  might  seem  difficult  to  prove  that  the  Sermon  on  the 
Mount  is  the  same  as  this  discourse  which  has  been  called 
by  some  the  Sermon  on  the  Plain.  The  exact  relation  be- 
tween the  sermon  reported  by  Matthew  and  this  great  ad- 
dress recorded  by  Luke  has  long  been  a  subject  of  debate. 
It  is  quite  probable,  however,  that  they  are  identical.  After 
Jesus  had  chosen  the  twelve  apostles  on  the  summit  of  the 
mountain  where  he  had  spent  the  night,  he  descended  to  a 
level  place  on  the  mountain  side  and  there  met  the  multi- 
tude and  delivered  the  sermon  which  holds  first  place 
among  all  the  discourses  in  the  world. 


Luke  6: 39-49         THE  THIRD  PERIOD  71 

If  this  address  is  the  same  as  the  Sermon  on  the  Mount, 
it  is  to  be  noted  that  each  account  begins  with  beatitudes 
and  closes  with  a  warning,  while  the  main  body  of  the  dis- 
course differs  only  in  the  aspect  of  truth  emphasized  by  the 
two  writers.  In  Matthew  the  essence  of  the  Christian  life 
is  described  as  true  righteousness  in  distinction  from  the 
formalism  of  the  Pharisees.  In  Luke  the  essence  of  right- 
eousness is  found  in  love.  Matthew  was  writing  with 
Jewish  Christians  in  mind.  The  Gospel  of  Luke  was  for 
the  world  and  many  of  his  readers  would  not  have  appreci- 
ated the  distinction  which  Matthew  was  emphasizing.  The 
word  which  would  describe  the  sermon  as  recorded  by 
Matthew  ^spirituality,  but  the  substance  of  the  Christian 
life  as  here  indicated  by  Luke  is  charity. 

The  Beatitudes  here  recorded  are  four  in  number,  while 
Matthew  mentions  eight  or  nine;  but  Luke  adds  four  woes, 
each  one  of  which  is  in  striking  contrast  with  the  parallel 
Beatitude,  vs.  20-26.  The  sermon  begins,  therefore,  by 
pronouncing  blessings  upon  the  followers  of  Christ  and  con- 
trasted woes  upon  those  who  reject  him.  Those  who  are 
declared  to  be  blessed  are  the  poor,  the  hungry,  the  mourn- 
ers, and  the  despised ;  while  woes  are  pronounced  upon  the 
rich,  the  satisfied,  the  joyous,  and  the  praised.  It  is,  of 
course,  understood  that  there  are  spiritual  implications  in 
these  different  terms.  Poverty,  hunger,  sorrow,  reproach, 
have  no  merit  in  themselves  and  issue  in  present  and  eter- 
nal blessedness  only  when  accompanied  by  humility,  trust, 
and  patience,  and  when  endured  for  the  sake  of  Christ.  So, 
too,  there  is  no  wrong  in  riches  and  satisfaction  and  laugh- 
ter and  praise  unless  these  are  accompanied  by  the  selfish- 
ness and  greed  and  frivolity  and  unworthiness  with  which 
they  are  so  often  identified.  By  these  blessings  and  woes 
the  Master  indicated  the  real  character  as  well  as  the  abid- 
ing blessedness  of  those  who  are  his  true  disciples. 

The^  burden  of  the  discourse,  vs.  27-45,  sets  forth  the 
Christian  life  as  being  in  essence  a  life  of  love.  This  ser- 
mon on  love  might  be  accompanied  properly  by  the  "hymn 
of  love"  composed  by  Paul,  I  Cor.,  ch.  13,  and  by  the 
"Scripture  lesson"  on  love  written  by  John,  I  John  4:7-21. 

First  then,  in  place  of  all  revenge,  vs.  27-30,  Jesus  estab- 


72  THE  MINISTRY  IN  GALILEE    Luke  7:  1-7 

lished  the  Golden  Rule:  "As  ye  would  that  men  should  do 
to  you,  do  ye  also  to  them  likewise."  V.  31.  Then,  in  con- 
trast with  the  self-interest  and  desire  for  recompense  which 
so  often  passes  among  men  as  charity,  vs.  32-34,  he  pointed 
to  the  perfect  example  of  God  and  intimated  that  his  mercy 
should  incline  us  to  kindly  judgments  of  our  fellows,  assur- 
ing us  of  the  boundless  liberality  with  which  our  Father  will 
reward  our  unselfish  love.     Vs.  35-38. 

The  second  portion  of  the  main  discussion,  vs.  39-45, 
dwells  still  more  definitely  upon  the  fault  of  unkindly  judg- 
ments to  which  Jesus  had  just  referred  and  which  consti- 
tutes such  a  common  infraction  of  the  law  of  love.  A  man 
who  is  unkind  in  his  criticisms  and  unconscious  of  his  own 
faults  cannot  help  his  fellow  man;  he  is  like  a  blind  man  try- 
ing to  lead  the  blind,  like  one  in  whose  eye  there  is  a  beam 
trying  to  help  one  in  whose  eye  there  is  a  mote.  As  good 
fruit  is  produced  only  by  good  trees,  only  out  of  hearts  full 
of  love  can  real  helpfulness  come. 

To  warn  men  against  calling  themselves  Christians  while 
they  do  not  observe  the  law  of  love,  and  to  encourage  his 
disciples  in  faithfully  keeping  his  commandments,  Jesus 
concluded  this  sermon  with  the  familiar  figure  of  the  two 
houses,  founded  one  upon  the  sand  and  the  other  upon  the 
rock.  Amid  the  storms  and  tempests  and  floods  of  the 
time  of  judgment,  only  the  latter  will  stand  secure. 

3.  The  Centurion  of  Capernaum.     Ch.  7  :  1-10 

1  After  he  had  ended  all  his  sayings  in  the  ears  of  the 
people,  he  entered  into  Capernaum. 

2  And  a  certain  centurion's  servant,  who  was  dear  unto 
him,  was  sick  and  at  the  point  of  death.  3  And  when  he 
heard  concerning  Jesus,  he  sent  unto  him  elders  of  the  Jews, 
asking  him  that  he  would  come  and  save  his  servant.  4  And 
they,  when  they  came  to  Jesus,  besought  him  earnestly,  say- 
ing, He  is  worthy  that  thou  shouldest  do  this  for  him ;  5  for 
he  loveth  our  nation,  and  himself  built  us  our  synagogue. 
6  And  Jesus  went  with  them.  And  when  he  was  now  not  far 
from  the  house,  the  centurion  sent  friends  to  him,  saying 
unto  him,  Lord,  trouble  not  thyself;  for  I  am  not  worthy  that 
thou  shouldest  come  under  my  roof:  7  wherefore  neither 
thought  I  myself  worthy  to  come   unto  thee:  but  say  the 


Luke  7: 8-10  THE  THIRD  PERIOD  73 

word,  and  my  servant  shall  be  healed.  8  For  I  also  am  a 
man  set  under  authority,  having  under  myself  soldiers:  and 
I  say  to  this  one,  Go,  and  he  goeth;  and  to  another,  Come, 
and  he  cometh ;  and  to  my  servant,  Do  this,  and  he  doeth  it. 

9  And  when  Jesus  heard  these  things,  he  marvelled  at  him, 
and  turned  and  said  unto  the  multitude  that  followed  him,  I 
say  unto  you,  I  have  not  found  so  great  faith,  no,  not  in  Israel. 

10  And  they  that  were  sent,  returning  to  the  house,  found 
the  servant  whole. 

No  more  perfect  picture  of  faith  has  been  recorded  than 
that  in  which  Luke  sketches  the  centurion  of  Capernaum 
who  sent  to  Jesus  the  request  to  heal  a  favorite  servant  then 
lying  at  the  door  of  death.  This  military  commander,  a 
heathen  by  birth,  was  evidently  a  man  of  the  same  high 
character  as  is  attributed  in  the  New  Testament  to  all  sol- 
diers of  a  similar  rank.  It  may  be  helpful  to  notice  some 
features  of  his  faith  which  was  so  great  that  our  Lord  "mar- 
velled at  him."  First  of  all,  the  centurion  was  confident 
that  Jesus  could  cure,  because  of  what  he  had  heard  con- 
cerning our  Lord.  This  is  the  very  essence  of  faith,  namely 
belief  founded  upon  evidence.  Faith  is  not  credulity  or 
fancy  or  caprice ;  it  is  a  purely  rational  exercise  of  the  mind ; 
it  is  reasoning  from  the  reports  of  credible  witnesses.  The 
centurion  had  heard  enough  of  the  power  and  goodness  of 
Jesus  to  convince  him  of  his  ability  to  heal.  Unbelief  in 
the  face  of  evidence  is  stupidity  or  sin. 

Again,  the  centurion  revealed  the  sincerity  of  true  faith. 
He  had  accepted  light  as  far  as  this  had  been  revealed.  He 
had  been  attracted  by  the  pure  worship  of  Judaism  and  had 
shown  his  sympathy  with  its  adherents  by  building  for 
them  a  synagogue.  When  one  lives  in  accordance  with  the 
light  he  has,  more  light  is  sure  to  break. 

Then  again,  he  revealed  the  humility  of  faith.  He  re- 
garded himself  as  unworthy  to  come  into  the  presence  of 
Jesus  to  present  his  request;  and  when  Jesus  offered  to 
come  to  his  home,  he  sent  word  that  he  was  not  worthy  to 
have  the  Master  come  under  his  roof. 

Most  explicitly  of  all,  he  expressed  the  trust  in  Christ  and 
the  dependence  upon  his  power  which  characterize  true 
faith.     He  said  that  it  was  unnecessary  for  Jesus  to  come  to 


74  THE  MINISTRY  IN  GALILEE    Luke  7: 11-17 

his  house ;  as  a  soldier  and  an  officer  he  knew  what  could  be 
accomplished  by  a  word  of  command ;  he  knew  what  it  was 
to  obey  and  to  be  obeyed,  and  he  had  accredited  to  Jesus 
such  control  over  the  unseen  powers  of  disease  that  he  sent 
his  surprising  message,  "But  say  the  word,  and  my  serv- 
ant shall  be  healed."  It  was  just  this  aspect  of  his  faith 
which  so  impressed  our  Lord,  and  it  is  such  humble  trust 
that  he  still  regards  with  favor  and  is  certain  to  reward.  It 
is  not  strange  that  they  "that  were  sent,  returning  to  the 
house,  found  the  servant  whole,"  or  that  Luke  rejoiced  to 
tell  this  story  which  reveals  belief  in  Christ  on  the  part  of 
one  who  was  found  outside  of  Israel,  a  belief  which  was 
prophetic  of  the  blessings  which  faith  was  to  bring  to  men 
of  all  the  nations  in  the  world. 

4.  Jesus  Raising  the_Widow's  Son.     Ch.  7  :  11-17 

11  And  it  came  to  pass  soon  afterwards,  that  he  went  to  a 
city  called  Nain ;  and  his  disciples  went  with  him,  and  a  great 
multitude.  12  Now  when  he  drew  near  to  the  gate  of  the  city, 
behold,  there  was  carried  out  one  that  was  dead,  the  only 
son  of  his  mother,  and  she  was  a  widow:  and  much  people 
of  the  city  was  with  her.  13  And  when  the  Lord  saw  her,  he 
had  compassion  on  her,  and  said  unto  her,  Weep  not.  14 
And  he  came  nigh  and  touched  the  bier:  and  the  bearers 
stood  still.  And  he  said,  Young  man,  I  say  unto  thee,  Arise. 
15  And  he  that  was  dead  sat  up,  and  began  to  speak.  And 
he  gave  him  to  his  mother.  16  And  fear  took  hold  on  all: 
and  they  glorified  God,  saying,  A  great  prophet  is  arisen  among 
us:  and,  God  hath  visited  his  people.  17  And  this  report  went 
forth  concerning  him  in  the  whole  of  Judaea,  and  all  the 
region  round  about. 

If  it  was  the  purpose  of  Luke  to  impress  upon  his  readers 
the  sympathy  and  tenderness  of  the  Man  Christ  Jesus,  it  is 
easy  to  understand  why  he  alone  of  all  the  evangelists  re- 
cords this  touching  story  of  the  raising  from  the  dead  of  the 
son  of  the  widow  of  Nain.  No  picture  could  be  more  full 
of  pity  and  compassion.  Jesus  had  not  been  asked  to  per- 
form the  miracle;  he  was  moved  wholly  by  the  mute  appeal 
of  human  sorrow  and  distress.  As  he  drew  near  to  the  gate 
of  the  little  iiry,  he  met  the  sad  procession  wending  its  way 


Luke  7: 18-27        THE  THIRD  PERIOD  75 

out  to  the  place  of  burial.  He  was  touched  by  the  tears  of 
the  lonely  mother  who  had  lost  her  only  son ;  moved  with 
deep  compassion  he  spoke  to  her  the  word  of  hope,  "Weep 
not."  Then  he  came  near  and  touched  the  bier  on  which 
the  lifeless  body  was  being  borne.  It  was  a  sign  more  elo- 
quent than  a  spoken  word.  Then  came  the  command: 
"Young  man,  I  say  unto  thee,  Arise.  And  he  that  was 
dead  sat  up,  and  began  to  speak.  And  he  gave  him  to  his 
mother."  In  view  of  such  miracles,  possibly  we  dwell  too 
exclusively  upon  their  purpose  as  authenticating  the  mis- 
sion of  Jesus,  or  as  demonstrating  his  divine  message. 
These  purposes  are  real,  but  we  must  never  forget  that  such 
works  were  also  manifestations  of  the  nature  of  the  minis- 
try of  Jesus  and  revelations  of  the  very  heart  of  God.  Such 
recitals  dry  the  tears  of  mourners  and  bind  up  broken 
hearts  and  inspire  the  despondent  with  eternal  hope.  Surely 
Jesus  is  the  Lord  of  life  and  he  will  yet  wipe  away  all  tears 
from  the  eyes  of  those  that  trust  him. 

S.  Jesus  Praising  John.     Ch.  7  :  18-35 

18  And  the  disciples  of  John  told  him  of  all  these  things. 
19  and  John  calling  unto  him  two  of  his  disciples  sent  them 
to  the  Lord,  saying,  Art  thou  he  that  cometh,  or  look  we  for 
another?  20  And  when  the  men  were  come  unto  him,  they 
said,  John  the  Baptist  hath  sent  us  unto  thee,  saying,  Art 
thou  he  that  cometh,  or  look  we  for  another?  21  In  that 
hour  he  cured  many  of  diseases  and  plagues  and  evil  spirits ; 
and  on  many  that  were  blind  he  bestowed  sight.  22  And, 
he  answered  and  said  unto  them,  Go  and  tell  John  the  things 
which  ye  have  seen  and  heard;  the  blind  receive  their  sight, 
the  lame  walk,  the  lepers  are  cleansed,  and  the  deaf  hear, 
the  dead  are  raised  up,  the  poor  have  good  tidings  preached 
to  them.  23  And  blessed  is  he,  whosoever  shall  find  no 
occasion  of  stumbling  in  me. 

24  And  when  the  messengers  of  John  were  departed,  he 
began  to  say  unto  the  multitudes  concerning  John,  What 
went  ye  out  into  the  wilderness  to  behold?  a  reed  shaken 
with  the  wind?  25  But  what  went  ye  out  to  see?  a  man  clothed 
in  soft  raiment?  Behold,  they  that  are  gorgeously  apparelled, 
and  live  delicately,  are  in  kings'  courts.  26  But  what  went  ye 
out  to  see?  a  prophet?  Yea,  I  say  unto  you,  and  much  more 
than  a    prophet.    27  This    is  he  of  whom    it   is    written, 


76  THE  MINISTRY  IN  GALILEE    Luke  7:  28-35 

Behold,  I  send  my  messenger  before  thy  face, 

Who  shall  prepare  thy  way  before  thee. 
28  I  say  unto  you,  Among  them  that  are  born  of  women 
there  is  none  greater  than  John :  yet  he  that  is  but  little  in  the 
kingdom  of  God  is  greater  than  he.  29  And  all  the  people 
when  they  heard,  and  the  publicans,  justified  God,  being 
baptized  with  the  baptism  of  John.  30  But  the  Pharisees 
and  the  lawyers  rejected  for  themselves  the  counsel  of  God, 
being  not  baptized  of  him.  31  Whereunto  then  shall  I  liken 
the  men  of  this  generation,  and  to  what  are  they  like?  32 
They  are  like  unto  children  that  sit  in  the  marketplace,  and 
call  one  to  another;  who  say,  We  piped  unto  you,  and  ye  did 
not  dance;  we  wailed,  and  ye  did  not  weep.  33  For  John 
the  Baptist  is  come  eating  no  bread  nor  drinking  wine;  and 
ye  say,  He  hath  a  demon.  34  The  Son  of  man  is  come 
eating  and  drinking;  and  ye  say,  Behold,  a  gluttonous  man, 
and  a  winebibber,  a  friend  of  publicans  and  sinners!  35 
And  wisdom  is  justified  of  all  her  children. 

Due  to  the  darkness  of  his  dungeon  or  to  the  long  delay 
of  Jesus  in  fulfilling  his  cherished  hopes,  the  mind  of  John 
the  Baptist  became  clouded  with  doubt  and  he  sent  mes- 
sengers to  Jesus  to  ask  whether  or  not  he  was  really  the 
Messiah  whom  John  had  declared  him  to  be,  "Art  thou  he 
that  cometh,  or  look  we  for  another?"  John  had  not  lost 
faith  in  God  or  in  his  promises;  he  believed  that  if  Jesus 
were  not  the  Messiah,  the  Messiah  was  still  to  come. 

The  Master  lovingly  reassured  his  great  herald  by  send- 
ing back  the  report  of  the  mighty  works  which  he  was  ac- 
complishing. John  was  already  familiar  with  these  acts 
but  the  recital  must  have  dispelled  his  fears.  Jesus  sym- 
pathizes with  us  also  in  our  hours  of  darkness,  but  his  relief 
usually  consists  in  reminding  us  of  facts  we  already  know 
concerning  his  power  and  love  and  presence  and  the  truths 
of  his  written  Word. 

Jesus,  however,  does  not  praise  us  for  our  doubts;  he  sent 
to  John  a  gentle  and  loving  rebuke:  "And  blessed  is  he, 
whosoever  shall  find  no  occasion  of  stumbling  in  me." 
This  benediction  he  pronounces  upon  all  who  in  spite  of 
darkness,  imprisonment,  delay,  and  mystery  still  confi- 
dently put  their  trust  in  him. 

It  was  upon  this  occasion  when  John  seems  to  have  failed 


Luke  7: 28-35         THE  THIRD  PERIOD  77 

that  Jesus  pronounced  upon  him  unparalleled  praise,  de- 
claring that  "among  them  that  are  born  of  women  there  is 
none  greater  than  John."  He  vindicated  this  deliberate 
judgment  and  thereby  showed  wherein  true  greatness  lies. 
He  spoke  first  of  the  character  of  John  and  then  of  his  ca- 
reer. He  praised  the  man  and  then  the  messenger.  He 
described  his  moral  and  then  his  official  greatness. 

His  expression  as  to  the  character  of  John  is  voiced  by 
two  questions,  to  each  of  which  a  negative  answer  of  course 
must  be  given:  first,  "What  went  ye  out  into  the  wilder- 
ness to  behold?  a  reed  shaken  with  the  wind?"  Surely 
true  greatness  does  not  lie  in  the  moral  cowardice  which 
bends  before  every  breeze;  quite  on  the  contrary,  John  was 
like  a  rock  which  no  storm  could  move. 

Then  there  was  a  second  question :  "What  went  ye  out  to 
see?  a  man  clothed  in  soft  raiment?"  Surely  greatness 
does  not  lie  along  the  line  of  self-gratification  and  indul- 
gence. John  endured  all  hardships  and  was  oblivious  to 
all  human  delights  because  he  was  so  devoted  to  his  divine 
task.  Courage  and  consecration — these  constitute  prime 
factors  in  moral  greatness. 

The  real  greatness  of  John  consisted,  however,  in  his  mis- 
sion. Jesus  declared  that  he  was  the  messenger  whom 
Malachi  had  predicted  should  prepare  the  way  of  the  Lord. 
Other  prophets  had  appeared  and  had  predicted  the  com- 
ing of  the  Messiah.  It  was  given  to  John  not  only  to  de- 
clare that  the  Christ  would  come,  but  to  point  to  him  and 
to  say,  "Behold,  the  Lamb  of  God!  .  .  .  this  is  the  Son  of 
God."  No  greater  dignity  had  ever  been  conferred  upon  a 
human  soul;  and  no  higher  privilege  can  now  be  enjoyed 
than  that  of  turning  the  thoughts  and  hearts  of  men  to 
Jesus  Christ,  the  Saviour  of  the  world.  The  present  fol- 
lowers of  Christ  have  a  larger  knowledge  of  him  than  was 
possessed  by  John.  What  their  relative  positions  will  be  in 
the  glory  of  the  perfected  Kingdom  will  depend  upon 
the  comparative  faithfulness  with  which  they  serve  their 
Master. 

The  praise  of  John  is  sharply  contrasted  with  the  con- 
demnation of  the  Pharisees  which  Jesus  now  turned  to  ex- 
press.    He  declared  that  these  professed  leaders  were  like 


78  THE  MINISTRY  IN  GALILEE    Luke  7:  36-44 

children  sitting  in  the  market  place,  complaining  one  to 
another  that  they  are  willing  to  play  neither  at  mock  fun- 
erals nor  at  mock  weddings,  for  when  John  came  they  re- 
fused to  follow  him  because  his  aspect  and  message  were  too 
severe,  and  when  Christ  came  they  criticized  him  as  being 
too  genial,  "a  friend  of  publicans  and  sinners."  The 
trouble  with  the  Pharisees  was  that  they  made  an  excuse  of 
the  demeanor  of  John  and  the  conduct  of  Jesus  for  refusing 
what  was  essential  in  their  mission  and  message.  They 
were  unwilling  to  repent  at  the  command  of  John  or  to  put 
their  trust  in  Christ  in  response  to  his  promise  of  grace  and 
life.  Thus  some  men  are  still  refusing  to  accept  the  sal- 
vation which  is  offered  because  of  something  in  Christian- 
ity which  is  purely  external,  while  they  fail  to  appreciate 
its  true  essence ;  but  there  were  those  in  the  days  of  Jesus, 
and  there  are  those  to-day  who  are  willing  to  accept  both 
the  call  to  repentance  and  the  offer  of  life,  "And  wisdom  is 
justified  of  all  her  children." 

6.    A  Sinful  Woman  Forgiven.    Ch.  7 :  36-50 

36  And  one  of  the  Pharisees  desired  him  that  he  would 
eat  with  him.  And  he  entered  into  the  Pharisee's  house,  and 
sat  down  to  meat.  37  And  behold,  a  woman  who  was  in  the 
city,  a  sinner;  and  when  she  knew  that  he  was  sitting  at 
meat  in  the  Pharisee's  house,  she  brought  an  alabaster 
cruse  of  ointment,  38  and  standing  behind  at  his  feet,  weep- 
ing, she  began  to  wet  his  feet  with  her  tears,  and  wiped 
them  with  the  hair  of  her  head,  and  kissed  his  feet,  and 
anointed  them  with  ointment.  39  Now  when  the  Pharisee 
that  had  bidden  him  saw  it,  he  spake  within  himself,  saying, 
This  man,  if  he  were  a  prophet,  would  have  perceived  who  and 
what  manner  of  woman  this  is  that  toucheth  him,  that  she  is 
a  sinner.  40  And  Jesus  answering  said  unto  him,  Simon, 
I  have  somewhat  to  say  unto  thee.  And  he  saith,  Teacher, 
say  on.  41  A  certain  lender  had  two  debtors:  the  one  owed 
five  hundred  shillings,  and  the  other  fifty.  42  When  they 
had  not  wherewith  to  pay,  he  forgave  them  both.  Which 
of  them  therefore  will  love  him  most?  43  Simon  answered 
and  said,  He,  I  suppose,  to  whom  he  forgave  the  most.  And 
he  said  unto  him,  Thou  hast  rightly  judged.  44  And  turning 
to  the  woman,  he  said  unto  Simon,  Seest  thou  this  woman? 
I  entered  into  thy  house,  thou  gavest  me  no  water  for  my  feet: 


Luke  7:45-50         THE  THIRD  PERIOD  79 

but  she  hath  wetted  my  feet  with  her  tears,  and  wiped  them 
with  her  hair.  45  Thou  gavest  me  no  kiss:  but  she,  since 
the  time  I  came  in,  hath  not  ceased  to  kiss  my  feet.  46  My 
head  with  oil  thou  didst  not  anoint:  but  she  hath  anointed  my 
feet  with  ointment.  47  Wherefore  I  say  unto  thee,  Her  sins, 
which  are  many,  are  forgiven;  for  she  loved  much:  but  to 
whom  little  is  forgiven,  the  same  loveth  little.  48  And  he 
said  unto  her,  Thy  sins  are  forgiven.  49  And  they  that  sat 
at  meat  with  him  began  to  say  within  themselves,  Who  is 
this  that  even  forgiveth  sins?  50  And  he  said  unto  the 
woman,  Thy  faith  hath  saved  thee ;  go  in  peace. 

The  Gospel  of  Luke  appears  to  place  special  emphasis 
upon  the  grace  and  forgiveness  manifested  by  Jesus.  It 
alone  records  his  sympathy  with  the  sorrowing  widow  of 
Nain,  and  it  is  also  alone  in  expressing  the  sympathy  which 
Jesus  felt  for  the  sinful  woman  who  anointed  his  feet  in  the 
house  of  Simon,  the  Pharisee.  It  is  a  picture,  however, 
not  only  of  the  loving  mercy  of  our  Lord,  but  of  the  un- 
bounded gratitude  felt  by  one  who  truly  appreciated  the 
priceless  gift  of  his  pardoning  grace. 

By  an  unfortunate  error  of  interpretation  this  woman 
has  been  confused  with  Mary  of  Magdala  or  with  Mary  of 
Bethany.  These  three  persons  should  be,  however,  abso- 
lutely distinct.  It  is  true  that  Jesus  delivered  the  first  of 
these  from  demoniac  possession,  and  that  the  second,  like 
the  woman  in  this  story,  anointed  his  feet  with  perfume,  but 
there  is  every  reason  for  believing  that  of  the  three  only 
this  woman  was  reputed  to  be  a  sinner.  She  seems  to  have 
met  Jesus  on  some  previous  occasion,  to  have  repented  of 
her  sins,  and  to  have  received  from  the  Lord  his  word  of  for- 
giveness. 

It  was  her  gratitude  which  gave  her  courage  to  enter 
unbidden  into  the  house  of  Simon,  where  Jesus  was  being  en- 
tertained as  a  guest.  She  had  come  to  anoint  his  feet  but 
as  she  beheld  him,  she  thought  again  of  her  sins  and  her  hot 
tears  of  penitence  fell  upon  the  feet  of  her  Lord.  She  hast- 
ily unbound  her  hair  and  with  it  dried  his  feet  and  then 
poured  upon  them  a  flask  of  fragrant  ointment.  No  truer 
expression  could  have  been  given  to  her  gratitude  and  pas- 
sionate devotion.     The  fact  that  Jesus  allowed  a  woman  of 


80  THE  MINISTRY  IN  GALILEE    Luke  7: 45-50 

such  notorious  character  to  express  her  love  for  him  made 
Simon  conclude  that  Jesus  could  not  be  a  prophet,  for 
otherwise  he  would  have  been  able  to  discern  the  nature  of 
so  depraved  a  woman. 

By  his  reply  Jesus  showed  his  ability  to  read  even  the 
secret  thoughts  of  his  host.  The  words  of  Jesus  not  only 
answered  the  silent  criticism  of  Simon  but  also  rebuked  him 
for  his  own  impenitence  and  lack  of  faith.  Jesus  proposed 
to  his  host  a  parable  of  two  forgiven  debtors,  illustrating 
the  fact  that  gratitude  depends  upon  the  realization  of  the 
amount  which  has  been  forgiven,  and  then  he  applied  this 
principle  to  Simon  and  to  the  woman  whom  Simon  had 
been  regarding  with  scorn.  Jesus  showed  how  keenly  he 
had  felt  the  lack  of  love  shown  him  by  his  host,  and  he  con- 
trasted it  with  the  affection  shown  by  the  woman.  When 
he  had  entered  the  house  Simon  had  neglected  the  custom- 
ary service  of  providing  a  bath  for  his  feet ;  the  woman  had 
washed  his  feet  with  her  tears.  Simon  had  withheld  the 
kiss  with  which  a  host  usually  welcomed  his  guests;  the 
woman  had  passionately  kissed  his  feet.  Simon  had  not 
furnished  the  perfume  with  which  it  was  usual  to  anoint  an 
honored  guest ;  the  woman  had  come  to  the  house  with  the 
special  purpose  of  pouring  fragrant  oil  upon  the  feet  of  her 
Lord. 

In  view  of  the  parable  the  message  of  Jesus  is  plain, 
"Wherefore  I  say  unto  thee,  Her  sins,  which  are  many,  are 
forgiven;  for  she  loved  much;  but  to  whom  little  is  forgiven, 
the  same  loveth  little."  Jesus  did  not  mean  to  say  that 
until  now  she  had  not  been  pardoned,  nor  yet  that  her 
pardon  was  conditioned  upon  her  love.  He  meant  that  her 
love  resulted  from  her  pardon,  and  his  words  have  been 
rightfully  interpreted  thus:  "I  say  unto  thee  that  her  many 
sins  are  forgiven,  as  thou  mayest  infer  from  this  exhibition 
of  her  love."  The  remainder  of  the  sentence  was  devoted 
to  Simon,  "To  whom  little  is  forgiven,  the  same  loveth 
little."  The  words  do  not  prove  that  Simon  had  been  par- 
doned ;  they  rather  indicate  that  his  lack  of  love  had  proved 
his  lack  of  penitence  and  so  of  forgiveness.  Jesus  then 
turned  to  the  woman  with  a  word  of  benediction:  "Thy 
sins  are  forgiven."     He  thus  assured  her  of  the  pardon 


Luke  8:  1-3  THE  THIRD  PERIOD  81 

previously  granted,  but  still  more  he  vindicated  her  in  the 
eyes  of  the  guests  and  assured  them  of  the  new  life  upon 
which  the  woman  already  had  entered.  They  marveled  as 
they  heard  him  pronouncing  pardon.  That  is  a  divine 
function;  but  the  ideal  Man  whose  sympathy  Luke  records 
was  likewise  the  Son  of  God.  Last  of  all,  Jesus  turned  to 
the  woman  with  the  final  word  of  blessing:  "Thy  faith  hath 
saved  thee;  go  in  peace."  This  is  a  clear  statement  of  the 
fact  that  faith  had  secured  pardon  and  pardon  had  awak- 
ened gratitude  and  gratitude  had  been  expressed  by  a  deed 
of  devoted  love.  Such  a  penitent  can  rightfully  go  away 
"into  peace,"  that  is,  to  its  present  and  continual  enjoy- 
ment. 

7.  The  Ministering  Women.     Ch.  8  :  1-3 

1  And  it  came  to  pass  soon  afterwards,  that  he  went 
about  through  cities  and  villages,  preaching  and  bringing  the 
good  tidings  of  the  kingdom  of  God,  and  with  him  the  twelve, 
2  and  certain  women  who  had  been  healed  of  evil  spirits  and 
infirmities:  Mary  that  was  called  Magdalene,  from  whom 
seven  demons  had  gone  out,  3  and  Joanna  the  wife  of  Chuzas 
Herod's  steward,  and  Susanna,  and  many  others,  who 
ministered  unto  them  of  their  substance. 

Luke  writes  the  Gospel  of  womanhood.  He  alone  re- 
cords those  tender  incidents  in  the  lives  of  Elisabeth,  Mary, 
and  Anna  which  are  associated  with  the  infancy  of  Jesus; 
he  alone  tells  us  of  the  widow  of  Nain  whose  son  Jesus  re- 
stored to  life;  of  the  woman  bowed  down  by  Satan  but  re- 
lieved by  Jesus;  of  the  penitent  sinner  who  anointed  his 
feet;  of  the  domestic  scene  in  the  home  of  Mary  and  Mar- 
tha; of  the  woman  who  congratulated  the  mother  of  Jesus; 
and  of  the  women  who  condoled  with  him  on  his  way  to  the 
cross.  Perhaps  most  significant  of  all  is  the  statement  of 
Luke  that  as  Jesus  and  his  apostles  moved  about  Galilee 
preaching  the  gospel,  they  were  attended  by  a  company  of 
women  "who  ministered  unto  them  of  their  substance." 

Among  these  women  Luke  mentions  "Mary  that  was 
called  Magdalene,"  probably  so  designated  from  the  town 
of  Magdala  where  formerly  she  had  lived.  By  this  title 
she  was  distinguished  from  Mary  the  mother  of  Jesus,  from 
Mary  of  Bethany,  and  from  other  women  of  this  same  name. 


82  THE  MINISTRY  IN  GALILEE    Luke  8:  4-10 

It  is  a  cruel  error  to  confuse  her  with  the  sinful  woman  of 
whom  Luke  has  just  been  writing.  Mary  had  suffered 
from  demon  possession,  as  here  stated,  but  there  is  nothing 
in  the  Gospels  to  indicate  that  she  had  ever  been  a  woman 
of  notoriously  evil  life. 

Luke  also  mentions  Joanna,  whose  husband,  Chuzas,  had 
charge  of  the  household  and  personal  estates  of  King  Herod, 
evidently  then  a  woman  of  some  social  standing ;  but  of  her 
and  her  companions  nothing  further  is  known,  excepting 
this  important  fact,  that  their  motive  in  ministering  to  the 
Master  was  that  of  gratitude;  they  "had  been  healed  of  evil 
spirits  and  infirmities." 

This  statement  by  Luke  is  brief  but  illuminating.  It 
throws  light  upon  an  interesting  question  to  which  no  other 
answer  is  given  in  the  Gospels :  How  did  Jesus  and  his  fol- 
lowers secure  financial  support  during  the  years  of  his  min- 
istry? Evidently  those  who  had  received  from  him  spirit- 
ual help  gladly  supplied  his  temporal  wants  and  rendered  to 
him  all  needful  service.  Thus  this  passage  indicates  not 
only  what  Jesus  did  for  women,  but  what  women  did  for 
him.  It  suggests  a  question:  Who  can  estimate  how  far 
the  gifts  and  sacrifices  of  grateful  women  have  been  making 
possible,  through  the  passing  ages,  the  preaching  of  the 
gospel  in  all  the  world? 

8.  The  Parable  of  the  Sower.     Ch.  8  :  4-18 

4  And  when  a  great  multitude  came  together,  and  they 
of  every  city  resorted  unto  him,  he  spake  by  a  parable:  5  The 
sower  went  forth  to  sow  his  seed:  and  as  he  sowed,  some 
fell  by  the  way  side ;  and  it  was  trodden  under  foot,  and  the 
birds  of  the  heaven  devoured  it.  6  And  other  fell  on  the  rock ; 
and  as  soon  as  it  grew,  it  withered  away,  because  it  had  no 
moisture.  7  And  other  fell  amidst  the  thorns;  and  the 
thorns  grew  with  it,  and  choked  it.  8  And  other  fell  into  the 
good  ground,  and  grew,  and  brought  forth  fruit  a  hundredfold. 
As  he  said  these  things,  he  cried,  He  that  hath  ears  to  hear, 
let  him  hear. 

9  And  his  disciples  asked  him  what  this  parable  might  be. 
10  And  he  said,  Unto  you  it  is  given  to  know  the  mysteries  of 
the  kingdom  of  God:  but  to  the  rest  in  parables;  that  seeing 
they  may  not   see,   and  hearing  they  may  not  understand. 


Luke  8: 11-18        THE  THIRD  PERIOD  83 

11  Now  the  parable  is  this:  The  seed  is  the  word  of  God. 

12  And  those  by  the  way  side  are  they  that  have  heard;  then 
cometh  the  devil,  and  taketh  away  the  word  from  their 
heart,  that  they  may  not  believe  and  be  saved.  13  And 
those  on  the  rock  are  they  who,  when  they  have  heard, 
receive  the  word  with  joy;  and  these  have  no  root,  who  for 
a  while  believe,  and  in  time  of  temptation  fall  away.  14  And 
that  which  fell  among  the  thorns,  these  are  they  that  have 
heard,  and  as  they  go  on  their  way  they  are  choked  with 
cares  and  riches  and  pleasures  of  this  life,  and  bring  no 
fruit  to  perfection.  15  And  that  in  the  good  ground,  these 
are  such  as  in  an  honest  and  good  heart,  having  heard  the 
word,  hold  it  fast,  and  bring  forth  fruit  with  patience. 

16  And  no  man,  when  he  hath  lighted  a  lamp,  covereth  it 
with  a  vessel,  or  putteth  it  under  a  bed;  but  putteth  it  on  a 
stand,  that  they  that  enter  in  may  see  the  light.  17  For 
nothing  is  hid,  that  shall  not  be  made  manifest;  nor  anything 
secret,  that  shall  not  be  known  and  come  to  light.  18  Take 
heed  therefore  how  ye  hear:  for  whosoever  hath,  to  him  shall 
be  given;  and  whosoever  hath  not,  from  him  shall  be  taken 
away  even  that  which  he  thinketh  he  hath. 

Because  of  its  greater  length  and  more  elaborate  work- 
manship and  greater  fullness  of  detail,  this  story  of  the 
sower  is  rightly  regarded  as  the  first  parable  of  our  Lord, 
even  though  he  had  previously  used  brief  illustrations 
which  were  designated  by  the  same  name.  Parables 
henceforth  formed  a  prominent  part  of  his  teaching,  and 
that  he  was  now  beginning  a  somewhat  new  method  of 
instruction  is  evident  from  the  fact  that  the  disciples  now 
asked  him  to  explain  his  meaning,  v.  9,  and  from  the  fact 
that  he  here  gave  the  reason  for  the  use  of  all  his  parables. 
This  reason  is  twofold :  these  inimitable  illustrations  would 
enable  those  who  were  attentive  and  rightly  disposed  to- 
ward him  to  remember  more  easily  the  teachings  of  the 
Master;  while  to  inattentive  or  hostile  minds  the  meaning 
would  be  veiled.  V.  10.  This  twofold  purpose  met  the 
demands  of  the  crisis  which  had  arisen,  due  on  the  one  hand 
to  the  increasing  popularity  of  Jesus'  teachings  and  on  the 
other  to  the  murderous  hatred  and  dark  plots  of  the  Phari- 
sees and  scribes. 

The  parable  of  the  Sower  thus  forms  a  proper  introduc- 


84  THE  MINISTRY  IN  GALILEE    Luke  8:  11-18 

tion  to  all  the  parables  for  they  are  vehicles  of  truth,  and 
our  Lord  here  made  it  clear  that  the  effect  of  truth  depends 
upon  the  spiritual  state  of  the  hearers.  This  is  sometimes 
called  the  parable  of  the  Soils,  for  it  illustrates  the  various 
states  of  heart  found  among  men  to  whom  the  Christian 
message  comes. 

In  some  cases  "the  word  of  God,"  whether  preached  by 
Christ  or  by  his  followers,  falls  on  hearts  which  are  pictured 
by  the  hard-trodden  footpath  which  runs  through  the  field 
of  grain.  No  possible  impression  can  be  made.  The  Word 
finds  no  entrance  and  Satan  snatches  it  away  as  a  bird 
picks  up  the  grain  which  falls  by  the  wayside.  Faith  and 
salvation  cannot  result. 

Other  hearers  are  compared  to  the  thin  layer  of  earth 
which  covers  a  ledge  of  stone.  Seed  which  falls  into  such 
soil  springs  up  most  quickly  because  warmed  by  the  under- 
lying rock;  but  as  the  roots  cannot  strike  downward,  the 
grain  soon  withers  beneath  the  scorching  sun.  So  there 
are  hearers  who  receive  with  joy  the  message  of  life,  but 
when  subjected  to  the  persecution  and  trials  which 
followers  of  Christ  must  endure,  they  quickly  desert  his 
cause. 

Other  hearers  are  compared  to  seed  which  falls  where 
thorns  are  growing.  This  seed  springs  into  life  but  it  has 
not  room  for  development.  It  is  robbed  by  the  thorns  of 
its  needed  nourishment.  Thus  some  Christians  are  so  pre- 
occupied by  "cares  and  riches  and  pleasures"  that  they  can 
bear  no  spiritual  fruit. 

There  are  those,  however,  who  are  like  seed  which  fell 
on  "good  ground"  and  "brought  forth  fruit  a  hundredfold" ; 
they  receive  the  truth  "in  an  honest  and  good  heart"  and 
patiently  and  perseveringly  they  produce  in  their  lives  a 
golden  harvest  of  grain. 

The  great  message  of  the  parable  is  summarized  in  the 
words  of  our  Lord,  "Take  heed  therefore  how  ye  hear."  V. 
18.  The  purpose  of  his  parables,  as  of  all  his  teachings, 
was  to  give  spiritual  light.  Those  who  love  him  and  obey 
his  word  will  have  their  understanding  quickened  and  their 
knowledge  increased ;  but  one  who  is  careless  or  disobedient 
to  the  truth,  will  lose  "even  that  which  he  thinketh  he 


Luke  8:  19-21         THE  THIRD  PERIOD  85 

hath."     It  is  a  great  privilege  to  hear  the  gospel  of  Christ, 
but  it  involves  a  great  responsibility  as  well. 

9.  Kinship  with  Jesus.     Ch.  8  :  19-21 

19  And  there  came  to  him  his  mother  and  brethren,  and 
they  could  not  come  at  him  for  the  crowd.  20  And  it  was 
told  him,  Thy  mother  and  thy  brethren  stand  without,  desiring 
to  see  thee.  21  But  he  answered  and  said  unto  them,  My 
mother  and  my  brethren  are  these  that  hear  the  word  of 
God,  and  do  it. 

It  is  only  from  the  other  Gospels  that  we  learn  the  exact 
nature  and  purpose  of  the  visit  paid  to  Jesus  by  his  mother 
and  brethren.  Luke  does  not  reveal  the  fact  that  it  occa- 
sioned one  of  the  most  delicate  and  difficult  dilemmas  by 
which  our  Lord  was  ever  confronted.  The  real  purpose  of 
these  relatives  was  to  interrupt  his  work.  They  feared  that 
his  mind  was  unbalanced  and  they  wished  to  take  him  home. 
Should  Jesus  repudiate  them,  or  should  he  allow  his  work 
needlessly  to  be  interrupted?  This  situation  Luke  does 
not  sketch,  but  he  does  state  clearly  the  impressive  message 
which  Jesus  found  occasion  to  deliver.  When  Jesus  was 
told  that  these  relatives  desired  to  see  him,  he  pointed  to  his 
disciples  with  the  reply,  "My  mother  and  my  brethren  are 
these  that  hear  the  word  of  God,  and  do  it."  Thus  Luke 
connects  this  incident  with  the  parable  of  the  Sower  which 
he  has  just  related.  The  parable  shows  the  need  of  careful 
attention  to  the  gospel  truth,  and,  according  to  Luke's  ac- 
count of  this  incident,  the  same  fact  is  emphasized,  namely, 
the  blessed  result  of  heeding  the  divine  Word.  Accord- 
ing to  the  statement  of  Christ,  such  obedience  to  him  and 
such  true  discipleship  as  was  shown  by  his  followers  results 
in  a  relationship  with  him  more  intimate  and  close  than  is 
secured  by  any  human  ties.  This  spiritual  kinship  is  more 
vital  than  any  relationship  of  blood  or  of  nature.  It  re- 
sults in  a  fellowship,  at  once  blessed  and  forever  abiding, 
which  is  possible  for  all.  The  reply  of  our  Lord  could  not 
have  offended  his  brethren  even  though  it  did  contain  a 
delicate  rebuke.  Only  those  have  a  right  to  claim  relation- 
ship with  him  who  submit  to  him  as  their  Lord  and  are 
ready  to  do  his  will. 


86  THE  MINISTRY  IN  GALILEE    Luke  8:  22-25 

10.  Jesus  Stilling  the  Storm.     Ch.  8  :  22-25 

22  Now  it  came  to  pass  on  one  of  those  days,  that  he 
entered  into  a  boat,  himself  and  his  disciples;  and  he  said 
unto  them,  Let  us  go  over  unto  the  other  side  of  the  lake: 
and  they  launched  forth.  23  But  as  they  sailed  he  fell 
asleep :  and  there  came  down  a  storm  of  wind  on  the  lake ;  and 
they  were  filling  with  water,  and  were  in  jeopardy.  24  And 
they  came  to  him,  and  awoke  him,  saying,  Master,  master, 
we  perish.  And  he  awoke,  and  rebuked  the  wind  and  the 
raging  of  the  water:  and  they  ceased,  and  there  was  a  calm. 
25  And  he  said  unto  them,  Where  is  your  faith?  And  being 
afraid  they  marvelled,  saying  one  to  another,  Who  then  is 
this,  that  he  commandeth  even  the  winds  and  the  water, 
and  they  obey  him? 

Storms  were  common  on  the  surface  of  the  little  lake 
which  Jesus  so  often  crossed  with  his  disciples;  and  storms 
are  still  frequent  in  the  lives  of  his  followers.  To  accompany 
the  Master  does  not  exempt  us  from  struggles  and 
tempests,  from  dark  skies  and  angry  waves.  This,  how- 
ever, was  no  usual  storm.  Even  the  sturdy  fishermen  of 
Galilee,  who  were  familiar  with  all  the  changeful  moods  of 
that  inland  sea,  were  filled  with  terror.  Jesus  at  the  time 
was  quietly  resting  and  had  fallen  asleep  in  what  seemed  to 
his  followers  to  be  an  hour  of  greatest  peril. 

Their  fear  may  have  been  foolish  but  it  was  wise  in 
them  to  come  to  the  Master  in  their  moment  of  pressing 
need.  They  awoke  him  with  the  cry,  "Master,  master,  we 
perish."  The  followers  of  Christ  are  not  saved  from  en- 
countering storms  but  in  the  hour  of  peril  they  should  be 
comforted  by  his  presence  and  they  can  ever  turn  to  him 
for  relief.  "He  awoke,  and  rebuked  the  wind  and  the 
raging  of  the  water:  and  they  ceased,  and  there  was  a 
calm."  Then  when  he  had  rebuked  the  disordered  ele- 
ments Jesus  turned  to  rebuke  his  followers,  "Where  is 
your  faith?"  He  did  not  find  fault  with  them  for  awaken- 
ing him,  or  for  crying  out  for  help;  he  rebuked  only  their 
lack  of  trust  which  should  have  relieved  them  from  dis- 
tress of  mind  while  he  was  so  near  and  so  abundantly 
able  to  save.  Such  a  miracle  must  have  strengthened 
their  faith  but  its  first  effect  was  to  fill  them  with  wonder 


Luke  8: 26-39        THE  THIRD  PERIOD  87 

and  with  awe.  Every  new  manifestation  of  his  power 
came  as  a  surprise  to  these  disciples,  and  now  for  the  first 
time  they  saw  his  control  over  the  blind  forces  of  nature; 
thus  once  again  they  felt  themselves  in  the  presence  not 
only  of  a  perfect  Man — but  of  One  who  was  divine. 

11.  A  Demoniac  Healed.     Ch.  8  :  26-39 

26  And  they  arrived  at  the  country  of  the  Gerasenes, 
which  is  over  against  Galilee.  27  And  when  he  was  come 
forth  upon  the  land,  there  met  him  a  certain  man  out  of  the 
city,  who  had  demons;  and  for  a  long  time  he  had  worn  no 
clothes,  and  abode  not  in  any  house,  but  in  the  tombs.  28 
And  when  he  saw  Jesus,  he  cried  out,  and  fell  down  before 
him,  and  with  a  loud  voice  said,  What  have  I  to  do  with  thee, 
Jesus,  thou  Son  of  the  Most  High  God?  I  beseech  thee, 
torment  me  not.  29  For  he  was  commanding  the  unclean 
spirit  to  come  out  from  the  man.  For  often-times  it  had 
seized  him:  and  he  was  kept  under  guard,  and  bound  with 
chains  and  fetters ;  and  breaking  the  bands  asunder,  he  was 
driven  of  the  demon  into  the  desert.  30  And  Jesus  asked 
him,  What  is  thy  name?  And  he  said,  Legion;  for  many 
demons  were  entered  into  him.  31  And  they  entreated  him 
that  he  would  not  command  them  to  depart  into  the  abyss. 
32  Now  there  was  there  a  herd  of  many  swine  feeding  on  the 
mountain:  and  they  entreated  him  that  he  would  give  them 
leave  to  enter  into  them.  And  he  gave  them  leave.  33  And 
the  demons  came  out  from  the  man,  and  entered  into  the 
swine:  and  the  herd  rushed  down  the  steep  into  the  lake, 
and  were  drowned.  34  And  when  they  that  fed  them  saw 
what  had  come  to  pass,  they  fled,  and  told  it  in  the  city  and 
in  the  country.  35  And  they  went  out  to  see  what  had 
come  to  pass;  and  they  came  to  Jesus,  and  found  the  man, 
from  whom  the  demons  were  gone  out,  sitting,  clothed  and 
in  his  right  mind,  at  the  feet  of  Jesus :  and  they  were  afraid. 
36  And  they  that  saw  it  told  them  how  he  that  was  possessed 
with  demons  was  made  whole.  37  And  all  the  people  of  the 
country  of  the  Gerasenes  round  about  asked  him  to  depart 
from  them;  for  they  were  holden  with  great  fear:  and  he 
entered  into  a  boat,  and  returned.  38  But  the  man  from 
whom  the  demons  were  gone  out  prayed  him  that  he  might  be 
with  him:  but  he  sent  him  away,  saying,  39  Return  to  thy 
house,  and  declare  how  great  things  God  hath  done  for  thee. 
And  he  went  his  way,  publishing  throughout  the  whole  city 
how  great  things  Jesus  had  done  for  him. 


88  THE  MINISTRY  IN  GALILEE    Luke  8:  26-39 

The  sufferings  of  a  demoniac  were  so  similar  to  those  of 
mental  disease  that  by  many  they  are  regarded  as  identi- 
cal. Those  who  observe  the  distinction  are  faced  with  a 
further  problem  as  to  whether  demon  possession  exists  at 
the  present  day.  What  is  most  important  of  all  is  to  note 
the  exact  parallel  existing  between  the  demoniacs  described 
in  the  New  Testament  and  those  persons  who  at  all  times 
are  tormented  by  envy  and  lust  and  anger  and  greed  and 
other  evil  passions  which  dominate  the  human  soul. 

On  the  eastern  shore  of  the  Lake  of  Gennesaret  Jesus 
was  encountered  by  a  man  whose  suffering  and  nakedness 
are  types  of  the  anguish  and  shamelessness  of  sin.  He 
could  not  be  controlled;  he  was  dwelling  among  the  tombs, 
and  these,  too,  are  pictures  of  the  helplessness  and  lone- 
liness and  hopelessness  which  evil  passions  produce.  Most 
of  all  it  is  interesting  to  note  that  while  the  demon  cried 
out  in  dread,  the  man  drew  near  to  Jesus,  really  hoping 
for  help.  The  experience  was  like  that  of  those  who  suffer 
from  mental  disease  where  a  dual  consciousness  is  mani- 
fested. Likewise  most  of  us  have  experienced  such  a  con- 
flict of  desires;  we  have  longed  for  liberty  at  the  very 
moment  when  we  have  felt  the  controlling  power  of  some 
passion.  Some  tell  us  that  we  must  cease  to  love  the  sin 
before  Christ  will  give  us  help,  but  this  picture  sketched 
by  Luke  gives  a  more  hopeful  message.  It  intimates  that 
as  we  cry  out  for  relief,  or  even  before  we  speak,  Jesus  sees 
the  heart  and  recognizes  the  longing  and  assures  release. 

Jesus  asked  the  sufferer  for  his  name.  He  wished  the 
real  man  to  be  awakened  and  to  be  conscious  of  the  dis- 
tinction between  himself  and  the  evil  spirit  by  which  he 
was  possessed.  The  reply  of  the  demoniac  was  full  of 
pathos.  He  declared  that  his  name  was  "Legion,"  the 
reason  assigned  being  that  "many  demons  were  entered 
into  him."  His  case  was  particularly  desperate;  but  the 
evil  spirits  realized  that  they  stood  before  One  whose 
power  was  absolute  Certain  that  they  were  to  be  ex- 
pelled from  the  sufferer,  they  asked  permission  to  enter  into 
a  herd  of  swine  which  was  feeding  on  the  mountain  side. 
A  question  has  often  been  raised  as  to  why  Jesus  granted 
this  request.     Probably  one  reason  was  that  the  sight 


Luke  8: 40-47        THE  THIRD  PERIOD  89 

which  followed  assured  the  sufferer  of  his  cure;  another 
may  have  been  that  the  destruction  of  the  herd  would 
give  to  the  men  of  the  region  an  arresting  message  both 
of  their  own  peril  and  of  the  power  of  Christ.  However, 
when  "They  went  out  to  see  what  had  come  to  pass,"  they 
were  full  of  terror  and  they  requested  Jesus  to  leave  their 
land.  They  were  evidently  more  concerned  for  the  beasts 
which  had  been  lost  than  for  the  soul  that  had  been  saved, 
when  they  saw  their  countryman  sitting  clothed  and  in 
his  right  mind  as  a  disciple  at  the  feet  of  Jesus.  Their  re- 
quest was  granted;  our  Lord  never  continues  the  gracious 
manifestations  of  his  presence  when  these  are  not  desired. 
However,  he  refused  the  request  of  the  man  whom  he  had 
healed.  The  latter  wished  to  accompany  Jesus  as  he 
entered  the  boat  to  cross  to  the  other  side  of  the  lake; 
but  Jesus  bade  him  to  remain  as  a  witness  for  Christ  in 
his  own  home  and  among  his  own  people.  It  is  ever  the 
desire  of  the  Master  that  the  testimony  of  those  who  have 
known  his  power  should  be  given  first  to  those  by  whom 
they  are  best  known. 

12.  The  Daughter  of  Jairus  and  the  Woman  with  an  Issue  of  Blood 
Ch.  8  :  40-56 

40  And  as  Jesus  returned,  the  multitude  welcomed  him; 
for  they  were  all  waiting  for  him.  41  And  behold,  there  came 
a  man  named  Jairus,  and  he  was  a  ruler  of  the  synagogue: 
and  he  fell  down  at  Jesus'  feet,  and  besought  him  to  come 
into  his  house;  42  for  he  had  an  only  daughter,  about  twelve 
years  of  age,  and  she  was  dying.  But  as  he  went  the  multi- 
tudes thronged  him. 

43  And  a  woman  having  an  issue  of  blood  twelve  years, 
who  had  spent  all  her  living  upon  physicians,  and  could  not  be 
healed  of  any,  44  came  behind  him,  and  touched  the  border 
of  his  garment:  and  immediately  the  issue  of  her  blood 
stanched.  45  And  Jesus  said,  Who  is  it  that  touched  me? 
And  when  all  denied,  Peter  said,  and  they  that  were  with  him, 
Master,  the  multitudes  press  thee  and  crush  thee.  46  But 
Jesus  said,  Some  one  did  touch  me;  for  I  perceived  that 
power  had  gone  forth  from  me.  47  And  when  the  woman 
saw  that  she  was  not  hid,  she  came  trembling,  and  falling 
down  before  him  declared  in  the  presence  of  all  the  people 
for  what  cause  she  touched  him,  and  how  she  was  healed 


90  THE  MINISTRY  IN  GALILEE    Luke  8:  48-56 

immediately.    48  And  he  said  unto  her,  Daughter,  thy  faith 
hath  made  thee  whole ;  go  in  peace. 

49  While  he  yet  spake,  there  cometh  one  from  the  ruler 
of  the  synagogue's  house,  saying,  Thy  daughter  is  dead; 
trouble  not  the  Teacher.  50  But  Jesus  hearing  it,  answered 
him,  Fear  not:  only  believe,  and  she  shall  be  made  whole. 
51  And  when  he  came  to  the  house,  he  suffered  not  any  man 
to  enter  in  with  him,  save  Peter,  and  John,  and  James,  and 
the  father  of  the  maiden  and  her  mother.  52  And  all  were 
weeping,  and  bewailing  her:  but  he  said,  Weep  not;  for  she 
is  not  dead,  but  sleepeth.  53  And  they  laughed  him  to  scorn, 
knowing  that  she  was  dead.  54  But  he,  taking  her  by  the 
hand,  called,  saying,  Maiden,  arise.  55  And  her  spirit  re- 
turned, and  she  rose  up  immediately:  and  he  commanded 
that  something  be  given  her  to  eat.  56  And  her  parents  were 
amazed:  but  he  charged  them  to  tell  no  man  what  had 
been  done. 

As  Jesus  returned  to  Capernaum  after  curing  the  de- 
moniac across  the  lake,  he  was  welcomed  by  a  great  multi- 
tude in  the  midst  of  which  were  two  sufferers  for  whom 
the  Saviour  showed  his  sympathy  as  he  perfected  their 
faith  and  relieved  their  distress.  They  were  strangely 
contrasted  in  circumstances,  alike  only  in  their  desperate 
need.  One  was  Jairus,  a  man  of  prominence  in  his  com- 
munity, "a  ruler  of  the  synagogue,"  a  person  of  compara- 
tive wealth  and  power  and  social  position,  whose  home 
for  twelve  years  had  been  brightened  by  the  presence  of 
a  little  daughter,  an  only  child,  who  was  now  lying  at  the 
point  of  death. 

The  other  was  a  woman,  poor,  weak,  ceremonially  un- 
clean, friendless,  who  for  twelve  years  had  been  suffering 
from  an  incurable  disease  and  who  knew  that  by  no  human 
power  could  her  life  be  prolonged. 

As  Jesus  was  starting  for  the  home  of  Jairus  this  woman 
came  up  behind  him,  touched  the  border  of  his  garment, 
and  was  instantly  healed.  Her  faith  was  imperfect  but 
it  was  real.  She  had  supposed  the  power  of  Christ  to  be 
merely  magical  and  mechanical.  Jesus  showed  that  it 
is  inseparable  from  divine  knowledge  and  love.  He  had 
felt  the  touch  of  her  trembling  finger.  He  had  distin- 
guished it  from  the  press  of  the  jostling  throng;  and  now 


Luke  8: 48-56        THE  THIRD  PERIOD  91 

for  her  own  sake  he  required  the  woman  "in  the  presence 
of  all  the  people"  to  acknowledge  her  cure.  Jesus  would 
have  us  know  that  faith  is  a  dependence  upon  his  gracious 
person  and  purpose,  and  also  that  only  after  public  con- 
fession of  our  relation  to  him  can  we  receive  the  assurance 
that  we  are  saved  and  can  hear  his  blessed  word,  "Thy 
faith  hath  made  thee  whole;  go  in  peace." 

The  faith  of  Jairus  was  likewise  imperfect.  It  was  more 
intelligent  than  the  faith  of  the  woman  but  it  fell  short  of 
that  revealed  by  the  centurion  in  the  same  city  who  felt 
it  unnecessary  for  Jesus  to  come  to  his  house  but  only  to 
speak  a  word  and  a  cure  would  be  effected.  Nevertheless 
this  faith  was  genuine  and  so  Jesus  strengthened  it  and 
rewarded  it.  The  very  fact  that  Jesus  started  toward 
his  home  was  reassuring  to  the  father,  but  his  faith  was 
tested  by  the  delay  caused  in  curing  the  woman.  How- 
ever, it  was  also  strengthened  by  this  proof  of  divine 
wisdom  and  power.  Most  terribly  was  his  faith  tested  by 
the  message  which  then  reached  him,  "Thy  daughter  is 
dead;  trouble  not  the  Teacher."  Yet  again,  it  was  con- 
firmed by  the  word  of  Jesus,  "Fear  not:  only  believe,  and 
she  shall  be  made  whole."  As  he  entered  the  house,  Jesus 
spoke  another  word  which  rebuked  the  faithless  mourners 
and  cheered  the  agonized  parents,  "Weep  not;  for  she  is 
not  dead,  but  sleepeth."  He  meant  that  in  his  presence 
and  in  virtue  of  his  power  death  loses  its  reality  and  is 
robbed  of  its  victory.  Nor  has  the  word  lost  its  meaning 
and  its  comfort  for  the  followers  of  Christ  during  all  the 
subsequent  years. 

Jesus  showed  clearly  what  he  meant  as  he  took  into  the 
death  chamber  his  three  closest  friends  and  the  two  trem- 
bling parents,  as  he  stood  before  the  sleeping  child  and 
"taking  her  by  the  hand,  called,  saying  Maiden,  arise. 
And  her  spirit  returned,  and  she  rose  up  immediately: 
and  he  commanded  that  something  be  given  her  to  eat." 
The  record  indicates  the  supreme  thoughtfulness  and 
tenderness  of  the  Master.  He  took  with  him  only  three 
disciples  for  he  would  not  have  the  awakened  child  terri- 
fied by  the  sight  of  more  strangers.  When  the  miracle 
had   been   performed   he   requested   that   the   little   girl 


92  THE  MINISTRY  IN  GALILEE    Luke  9:  1-9 

should  be  given  food;  this  was  for  her  own  comfort  but 
also  to  break  for  the  parents  the  spell  of  awe  and  terror 
which  had  been  cast  upon  them  by  the  presence  of  death, 
and  also  as  a  proof  not  only  that  life  had  returned  but 
also  that  complete  recovery  from  disease  had  been  se- 
cured. One  other  command  is  recorded,  "He  charged 
them  to  tell  no  man  what  had  been  done."  The  three 
disciples  would  be  competent  witnesses  of  the  miracle  but 
a  widespread  report  by  the  parents  and  their  friends  might 
arouse  such  an  outburst  of  excitement  as  to  interrupt  his 
work  and  precipitate  a  crisis  before  the  earthly  ministry 
of  our  Lord  was  complete. 

D.  THE  FOURTH  PERIOD.     Ch.  9:  1-50 
1.  The  Mission  of  the  Twelve.     Ch.  9  :  1-9 

1  And  he  called  the  twelve  together,  and  gave  them  power 
and  authority  over  all  demons,  and  to  cure  diseases.  2  And 
he  sent  them  forth  to  preach  the  kingdom  of  God,  and  to 
heal  the  sick.  3  And  he  said  unto  them,  Take  nothing  for 
your  journey,  neither  staff,  nor  wallet,  nor  bread,  nor  money; 
neither  have  two  coats.  4  And  into  whatsoever  house  ye 
enter,  there  abide,  and  thence  depart.  5  And  as  many  as 
receive  you  not,  when  ye  depart  from  that  city,  shake  off  the 
dust  from  your  feet  for  a  testimony  against  them.  6  And 
they  departed,  and  went  throughout  the  villages,  preaching 
the  gospel,  and  healing  everywhere. 

7  Now  Herod  the  tetrarch  heard  of  all  that  was  done:  and 
he  was  much  perplexed,  because  that  it  was  said  by  some, 
that  John  was  risen  from  the  dead;  8  and  by  some,  that 
Elijah  had  appeared;  and  by  others,  that  one  of  the  old 
prophets  was  risen  again.  9  And  Herod  said,  John  I  beheaded : 
but  who  is  this,  about  whom  I  hear  such  things?  And  he 
sought  to  see  him. 

As  Jesus  sent  forth  his  twelve  disciples  on  their  first 
mission  he  was  entering  the  closing  period  of  his  ministry 
in  Galilee.  Until  now  the  apostles  had  been  his  com- 
panions; henceforth  they  were  to  be  more  strictly  mes- 
sengers and  representatives.  Jesus  foresaw  his  approach- 
ing rejection  and  death,  but  before  leaving  for  Jerusalem 
and  the  cross  he  wished  to  offer  himself  once  {more  to  the 
people  of  Galilee  among  whom  he  had  long  been  laboring; 


Luke  9:  1-9  THE  FOURTH  PERIOD  93 

and  for  this  purpose  he  sent  out  the  Twelve.  Their  cir- 
cumstances and  the  directions  given  them  by  Jesus  were 
peculiar  to  the  time  and  occasion.  However,  these  com- 
mands are  not  without  application  to  the  messengers  of 
the  Master  in  all  ages  of  the  world.  They  were  given 
"power  and  authority  over  all  demons,  and  to  cure  dis- 
eases." Such  miraculous  gifts  were  limited  to  their  own 
day  and  were  designed  as  credentials  of  their  mission.  It 
is  true,  however,  that  those  who  represent  Christ  must 
ever  be  concerned  for  the  mental  and  physical  conditions 
of  mankind,  even  though  the  great  purpose  is  to  bring  a 
message  of  spiritual  import.  The  latter  was,  of  course, 
the  great  purpose  of  the  apostles.  They  went  forth  "to 
preach  the  kingdom  of  God,"  as  well  as  "to  heal  the  sick." 

When  Christ  commanded  the  disciples  to  take  nothing 
for  their  journey,  he  did  not  intend  to  impose  needless 
hardships  or  even  to  suggest  peculiar  denial.  He  rather 
intimated  the  principle  that  his  heralds  must  not  be  en- 
cumbered with  worldly  cares  and  burdens  and  that  those 
who  proclaim  his  gospel  may  expect  to  be  supported  by 
those  to  whom  the  message  is  preached. 

In  advising  the  disciples  to  remain  in  the  first  home 
where  they  were  properly  received,  he  indicated  the  wis- 
dom of  having  a  fixed  center  for  their  work,  of  being  con- 
tent with  their  entertainment  and  surroundings,  and  of 
avoiding  social  complications  which  might  hinder  their 
work.  They  were  instructed,  in  case  they  were  not  re- 
ceived and  welcomed  as  the  messengers  of  Christ,  to  show 
their  just  displeasure  as  they  departed  from  the  place,  by 
shaking  off  the  dust  from  their  feet,  an  Oriental  custom 
which  in  this  case  indicated  the  disavowal  of  any  possible 
relationship  with  the  enemies  of  their  Lord. 

"And  they  departed,  and  went  throughout  the  villages, 
preaching  the  gospel,  and  healing  everywhere."  These 
were  the  supreme  representatives  of  the  great  band  of 
heroes  who  have  continued  the  work  and  have  made  known 
their  message  in  all  times  and  lands.  They  were  prepared 
by  the  divine  instruction  of  their  Master.  It  has  been 
said  that  there  is  something  greater  than  preaching;  it  is 
to  prepare  preachers.     Surely  none  were  ever  so  trained 


94  THE  MINISTRY  IN  GALILEE    Luke  9:  10-13 

and  none  ever  accomplished  their  work  so  well;  but  it  is 
possible  for  every  follower  of  Christ  to  have  some  part  in 
making  known  the  gospel  of  his  grace. 

The  great  success  of  the  disciples  and  the  tremendous 
excitement  produced  by  their  mission  is  indicated  by  the 
fact  that  the  reports  of  their  work  reached  Herod  the  king 
and  made  him  tremble  on  his  throne.  It  was  not  that  he 
feared  what  Jesus  might  do;  it  was  rather  because  there 
was  something  in  the  rumor  which  awakened  his  sleeping 
conscience  and  filled  him  with  a  secret  alarm  and  dread. 
"  It  was  said  by  some,  that  John  was  risen  from  the  dead." 
Herod  had  beheaded  John,  but  the  memory  of  his  foul  deed 
could  not  be  buried;  now  he  was  wondering  what  might 
be  the  real  nature  oi  the  miracles  which  were  being  re- 
ported and  of  the  Man  in  whose  name  they  were  wrought. 
He  "sought  to  see"  Jesus.  That  was  mere  curiosity.  He 
probably  wished  to  see  some  miracles  performed.  Before 
long  an  opportunity  was  to  be  given  him  to  stand  face  to 
face  with  the  divine  Man,  but  it  was  to  be  on  an  unex- 
pected occasion  when  the  latter  would  stand  before  him 
as  a  prisoner,  when  Herod  might  offer  him  protection  or 
release;  but  when  the  occasion  came  he  was  disappointed 
by  the  silence  of  the  Lord  and  allowed  him  to  go  aw(ay  to 
crucifixion  and  death.  One  who  beheaded  John  need  not 
have  hoped  to  understand  Jesus.  One  who  violates  his 
own  conscience  to-day  and  refuses  solemn  warnings  to 
repent,  need  not  expect  that  Christ  will  be  revealed  to 
him  in  his  beauty  and  grace  and  saving  power. 

2.  The  Five  Thousand  Fed.     Ch.  9  :  10-17 

10  And  the  apostles,  when  they  were  returned,  declared 
unto  him  what  things  they  had  done.  And  he  took  them,  and 
withdrew  apart  to  a  city  called  Bethsaida.  11  But  the  multi- 
tudes perceiving  it  followed  him:  and  he  welcomed  them, 
and  spake  to  them  of  the  kingdom  of  God,  and  them  that  had 
need  of  healing  he  cured.  12  And  the  day  began  to  wear 
away;  and  the  twelve  came,  and  said  unto  him,  Send  the 
multitude  away,  that  they  may  go  into  the  villages  and  country 
round  about,  and  lodge,  and  get  provisions :  for  we  are  here 
in  a  desert  place.  13  But  he  said  unto  them,  Give  ye  them 
to  eat.     And  they  said,  We  have  no  more  than  five  loaves  and 


Luke  9:  14-17       THE  FOURTH  PERIOD  95 

two  fishes;  except  we  should  go  and  buy  food  for  all  this 
people.  14  For  they  were  about  five  thousand  men.  And 
he  said  unto  his  disciples,  Make  them  sit  down  in  companies> 
about  fifty  each.  15  And  they  did  so,  and  made  them  all  sit 
down.  16  And  he  took  the  five  loaves  and  the  two  fishes, 
and  looking  up  to  heaven,  he  blessed  them,  and  brake;  and 
gave  to  the  disciples  to  set  before  the  multitude.  17  And  they 
ate,  and  were  all  filled:  and  there  was  taken  up  that  which 
remained  over  to  them  of  broken  pieces,  twelve  baskets. 

The  feeding  of  the  five  thousand  is  the  only  miracle  re- 
corded by  all  four  evangelists,  in  fact  the  only  incident  of 
the  Galilaean  ministry  of  our  Lord  common  to  them  all. 
Here  this  ministry  attains  its  climax.  This  was  the  hour 
of  the  greatest  popularity  of  Jesus;  the  multitudes  would 
have  offered  him  a  crown,  but  he  saw  before  him  the 
shadow  of  the  cross. 

The  Twelve  had  returned  weary  with  labor  but  elated 
by  success.  Jesus  desired  for  them  a  season  of  retirement, 
of  rest,  and  instruction.  They  withdrew  to  a  secluded 
place  beyond  Bethsaida  on  the  east  shore  of  the  lake;  but 
there  they  were  discovered  by  the  eager  multitudes. 
Jesus  showed  his  infinite  sympathy  by  cordially  welcoming 
the  crowds  which  had  intruded  upon  his  privacy  and 
interrupted  his  plans;  he  gladdened  their  hearts  with  the 
gospel  message  and  healed  their  diseases.  And  as  the  day 
declined  he  pitied  their  hunger  and  met  their  needs  by 
miraculously  multiplying  five  loaves  and  two  fishes  which 
the  disciples  had  secured. 

For  the  disciples  of  to-day  there  are  serious  messages 
in  this  familiar  story;  perhaps  none  is  more  obvious  than 
that  of  the  measureless  compassion  of  Christ.  With 
something  of  his  sympathy  we  should  look  upon  the  multi- 
tudes perishing  for  lack  of  physical  and  spiritual  food. 
Their  call  for  help  should  not  be  regarded  as  an  interrup- 
tion but  as  a  guide  in  shaping  our  personal  plans.  While 
of  ourselves  we  are  unable  to  give  relief,  yet  if  our  all  is 
offered  to  the  Master,  it  will  be  multiplied  marvelously 
by  his  divine  power.  The  miracle  seems  to  have  been 
wrought  as  Jesus  looked  up  in  prayer.  We  must  surely 
look  to  him  and  seek  his  blessing  in  our  service.    We  must 


96  THE  MINISTRY  IN  GALILEE    Luke  9: 18-27 

allow  no  broken  fragments  to  be  lost;  some  families  could 
live  on  what  other  families  waste;  then,  too,  the  followers 
of  Christ  must  learn  a  true  economy  of  time  and  talents 
and  wealth  if  the  Bread  of  life  is  to  be  brought  to  a  famish- 
ing world. 

3.  Jesus  Predicting  his  Death.     Ch.  9  :  18-27 

18  And  it  came  to  pass,  as  he  was  praying  apart,  the  disci- 
ples were  with  him:  and  he  asked  them,  saying,  Who  do  the 
multitudes  say  that  I  am?  19  And  they  answering  said, 
John  the  Baptist;  but  others  say,  Elijah;  and  others,  that 
one  of  the  old  prophets  is  risen  again.  20  And  he  said  unto 
them,  But  who  say  ye  that  I  am?  And  Peter  answering  said, 
The  Christ  of  God.  21  But  he  charged  them,  and  commanded 
them  to  tell  this  to  no  man ;  22  saying,  The  Son  of  man  must 
suffer  many  things,  and  be  rejected  of  the  elders  and  chief 
priests  and  scribes,  and  be  killed,  and  the  third  day  be  raised 
up.  23  And  he  said  unto  all,  If  any  man  would  come  after  me 
lethim  deny  himself,  and  take  up  his  cross  daily,  and  follow  me. 

24  for  whosoever  would  save  his  lif e  shall  lose  it ;  but  whoso- 
ever shall  lose  his  life  for  my  sake,  the  same  shall  save  it. 

25  For  what  is  a  man  profited,  if  he  gain  the  whole  world,  and 
lose  or  forfeit  his  own  self?  26  For  whosoever  shall  be 
ashamed  of  me  and  of  my  words,  of  him  shall  the  Son  of  man 
be  ashamed,  when  he  cometh  in  his  own  glory,  and  the  glory 
of  the  Father,  and  of  the  holy  angels.  27  But  I  tell  you  of  a 
truth,  There  are  some  of  them  that  stand  here,  who  shall  in 
no  wise  taste  of  death,  till  they  see  the  kingdom  of  God. 

The  first  clear  prediction  of  his  death  was  made  by 
Jesus  directly  after  he  had  heard  the  famous  confession  of 
Peter.  The  latter  was  occasioned  by  a  question  Jesus  him- 
self had  asked,  "Who  do  the  multitudes  say  that  I  am?" 
The  answer  is  exactly  that  given  by  multitudes  in  modern 
days,  "And  they  answering  said,  John  the  Baptist;  but 
others  say,  Elijah;  and  others,  that  one  of  the  old  prophets 
is  risen  again";  that  is  to  say,  a  reformer,  a  great  preacher, 
a  messenger  of  God.  Such  an  estimate  of  himself  never 
satisfied  our  Lord  and  so  he  asked  pointedly:  "But  who 
say  ye  that  I  am?  And  Peter  answering  said,  The 
Christ  of  God."  This  is  the  great  affirmation  concerning 
Christ  which  the  world  to-day  needs  to  hear;  but  at  that 
time  Jesus  earnestly  commanded  his  disciples  to  "tell  this 


Luke  9:  28-33      THE  FOURTH  PERIOD  97 

to  no  man."  The  message  would  then  have  been  mis- 
understood and  the  disciples  themselves  needed  first  to 
learn  the  truth  concerning  the  death  and  resurrection  of 
Jesus.  No  man  to-day  is  qualified  to  testify  for  Christ 
who  does  not  know  the  meaning  of  his  atoning  death  and 
"the  power  of  his  resurrection." 

Then  Jesus  told  his  disciples  of  the  absolute  necessity 
of  his  approaching  sufferings  and  assured  them  that  on 
the  third  day  he  would  be  raised  up.  This  prediction  of 
death  must  have  astonished  the  disciples;  quite  as  sur- 
prising was  the  further  statement  that  every  follower  of 
Christ  must  likewise  take  up  his  cross  daily,  and  the  cross 
was  not  merely  a  symbol  of  suffering  and  shame;  it  was 
the  instrument  of  death.  Every  Christian,  therefore,  must 
die  daily  to  self  and  yield  himself  wholly  to  the  service  of 
Christ.  Such  self-denial  and  sacrifice  and  obedience  will 
result  in  the  only  experience  worthy  of  the  name  "life"; 
to  refuse  is  to  forfeit  "life";  and  the  loss  will  be  eternal 
for  those  who  are  ashamed  to  follow  the  Master  now  will 
be  rejected  by  him  when  he  returns  "in  his  own  glory, 
and  the  glory  of  the  Father,  and  of  the  holy  angels."  Of 
this  future  glory  of  the  coming  Christ,  three  of  the  dis- 
ciples were  to  catch  a  foregleam  only  eight  days  later  on 
the  Mount  of  Transfiguration,  and  Jesus  therefore  adds, 
"There  are  some  of  them  that  stand  here,  who  shall  in 
no  wise  taste  of  death,  till  they  see  the  kingdom  of  God." 

4.  The  Transfiguration.     Ch.  9  :  28-36 

28  And  it  came  to  pass  about  eight  days  after  these  sayings, 
that  he  took  with  him  Peter  and  John  and  James,  and  went 
up  into  the  mountain  to  pray.  29  And  as  he  was  praying,  the 
fashion  of  his  countenance  was  altered,  and  his  raiment  be- 
came white  and  dazzling.  30  And  behold,  there  talked  with 
him  two  men,  who  were  Moses  and  Elijah;  31  who  appeared 
in  glory,  and  spake  of  his  decease  which  he  was  about  to  ac- 
complish at  Jerusalem.  32  Now  Peter  and  they  that  were 
with  him  were  heavy  with  sleep:  but  when  they  were  fully 
awake,  they  saw  his  glory,  and  the  two  men  that  stood  with 
him.  33  And  it  came  to  pass,  as  they  were  parting  from  him, 
Peter  said  unto  Jesus,  Master,  it  is  good  for  us  to  be  here : 
and  let  us  make  three  tabernacles;  one  for  thee,  and  one  for 


98  THE  MINISTRY  IN  GALILEE    Luke  9:  34-36 

Moses,  and  one  for  Elijah:  not  knowing  whax  he  said.  34 
And  while  he  said  these  things,  there  came  a  cloud,  and  over- 
shadowed them:  and  they  feared  as  they  entered  into  the 
cloud.  35  And  a  voice  came  out  of  the  cloud,  saying,  This  is 
my  Son,  my  chosen:  hear  ye  him.  36  And  when  the  voice 
came,  Jesus  was  found  alone.  And  they  held  their  peace, 
and  told  no  man  in  those  days  any  of  the  things  which  they 
had  seen. 

The  transfiguration  of  Christ  was  closely  associated 
with  the  predictions  both  of  his  death  and  of  his  return 
in  glory.  It  prepared  him  and  also  his  disciples  for  the 
former  and  it  was  a  symbol  and  a  foretaste  of  the  latter. 
Just  what  the  physical  experience  may  have  been,  it  is 
difficult  to  conjecture.  It  was  not  like  that  of  Moses  on 
Mount  Sinai  when  his  face  glowed  with  reflected  light.  In 
the  case  of  Jesus  the  glory  was  from  within.  A  divine 
splendor  shone  forth  irradiating  the  body  and  even  the 
garments  of  our  Lord. 

Luke  tells  us  that  this  occurred  as  Jesus  was  praying; 
and  it  is  more  than  a  mere  figure  of  speech  to  say  that 
when  in  prayer  his  followers  find,  in  some  measure,  what 
it  is  to  be  transfigured  into  his  likeness  from  one  degree 
of  glory  to  another  by  the  power  of  his  indwelling  Spirit. 

Jesus  had  been  accompanied  on  the  mountain  top  by 
only  Peter,  James,  and  John;  but  suddenly  "There  talked 
with  him  two  men,  who  were  Moses  and  Elijah;  who 
appeared  in  glory,  and  spake  of  his  decease  which  he  was 
about  to  accomplish  at  Jerusalem."  This,  then,  was  the 
high  purpose  of  the  event;  it  was  to  interpret  to  the  mind 
of  Christ  more  perfectly  the  meaning  of  his  death,  and  to 
encourage  him  to  endure  its  anguish  by  this  glimpse  of 
the  glory  that  would  follow.  It  is  easy  to  understand  why 
Moses  and  Elijah  should  be  selected  for  so  august  a  con- 
ference. One  had  been  regarded  as  the  symbol  of  law  and 
the  other  of  prophecy,  and  both  law  and  prophecy  pointed 
forward  to  Calvary;  and  again  both  Moses  and  Elijah  had 
received  a  special  revelation  of  the  grace  of  God,  and  he 
was  to  manifest  his  grace  supremely  in  the  death  of  his 
Son. 

It  is  not  strange   that  Peter  longed  to  linger  in  such 


Luke  9: 37-45      THE  FOURTH  PERIOD  99 

heavenly  companionship,  and  in  bewilderment  absurdly 
proposed  the  erection  on  the  mountain  of  three  booths  for 
the  comfort  of  Jesus,  Moses,  and  Elijah.  'While  he  said 
thesi  things,  there  came  a  cloud,  and  overshadowed 
them:  .  .  .  and  a  voice  came  out  of  the  cloud,  saying, 
This  is  my  Son,  my  chosen:  hear  ye  him."  There  was  no 
need  of  detaining  Moses  and  Elijah;  if  the  Master  re- 
mained with  his  disciples,  that  was  enough.  Henceforth 
all  that  the  Law  and  the  Prophets  had  foreshadowed 
would  be  completely  revealed  and  embodied  in  Jesus 
Christ  Part  of  that  revelation  was  made  in  his  death; 
the  full  revelation  will  come  when  he  returns  in  that  glory 
of  which  the  Mount  of  Transfiguration  gave  a  foregleam. 

5.  The  Demoniac  Boy.     Ch.  9  :  37-45 

37  And  it  came  to  pass,  on  the  next  day,  when  they  were 
come  down  from  the  mountain,  a  great  multitude  met  him. 
38  And  behold,  a  man  from  the  multitude  cried,  saying, 
Teacher,  I  beseech  thee  to  look  upon  my  son ;  for  he  is  mine 
only  child:  39  and  behold,  a  spirit  taketh  him,  and  he  sud- 
denly cneth  out;  and  it  teareth  him  that  he  foameth,  and  it 
hardly  departeth  from  him,  bruising  him  sorely.  40  And  I 
besought  thy  disciples  to  cast  it  out;  and  they  could  not.  41 
And  Jesus  answered  and  said,  O  faithless  and  perverse  gene- 
ration, how  long  shall  I  be  with  you,  and  bear  with  you? 
bring  hither  thy  son.  42  And  as  he  was  yet  a  coming,  the 
demon  dashed  him  down,  and  tare  him  grievously.  But 
Jesus  rebuked  the  unclean  spirit,  and  healed  the  boy,  and 
gave  him  back  to  his  father.  43  And  they  were  all  astonished 
at  the  majesty  of  God. 

But  while  all  were  marvelling  at  all  the  things  which  he 
did,  he  said  unto  his  disciples,  44  Let  these  words  sink  into 
your  ears :  for  the  Son  of  man  shall  be  delivered  up  into  the 
hands  of  men.  45  But  they  understood  not  this  saying,  and 
it  was  concealed  from  them,  that  they  should  not  perceive  it; 
and  they  were  afraid  to  ask  him  about  this  saying. 

It  is  not  strange  that  artists  love  to  paint  the  contrast 
between  the  picture  of  Jesus  on  the  mountain  encompassed 
by  glory  and  of  the  demoniac  boy  surrounded  by  the 
multitudes  on  the  plain ;  yet  it  requires  no  canvas  or  arti- 
ficial color  to  heighten  the  contrast  presented  by  the  his- 
torian in  his  simple  story.     Jesus  long  before  had  learned 


100  THE  MINISTRY  IN  GALILEE    Luke  9: 46-50 

what  it  was  to  exchange  the  glories  of  heaven  for  the 
shadows  and  sufferings  of  earth  and  the  compassion  which 
drew  him  from  the  skies  was  never  withheld,  even  at  times 
when  he  naturally  might  have  been  absorbed  in  thoughts 
concerning  his  coming  suffering  and  redeeming  work.  He 
was  instantly  moved  with  tender  pity  as  he  heard  the  ago- 
nizing words  of  the  father  and  saw  the  distress  of  the  son. 
However,  he  was  even  more  moved  by  the  unbelief  and 
sin  and  anguish  and  godlessness  of  the  world  which  he  had 
come  to  save,  and  of  which  this  scene  was  but  a  symbol  and 
a  picture.  "O  faithless  and  perverse  generation,"  he 
cried,  "how  long  shall  I  be  with  you,  and  bear  with  you?" 
Can  it  not  be  said  reverently  that  the  contrasted  expe- 
riences of  the  mountain  and  the  plain  made  Jesus  for  the 
moment  homesick  for  heaven?  Yet  Jesus  neither  hesi- 
tated nor  delayed  in  the  path  of  duty  or  in  the  presence  of 
human  need.  He  "  rebuked  the  unclean  spirit,  and  healed 
the  boy,  and  gave  him  back  to  his  father. ' ' 

While  all  were  wondering  and  astonished  at  his  divine 
power  and  marvelous  works,  he  turned  to  his  disciples  to 
impress  upon  them  the  dark  secret  which  was  resting  on  his 
soul.  He  told  them  that  the  time  was  near  when  he 
was  to  be  given  up  to  suffer  and  to  die;  "But  they  under- 
stood not  this  saying. "  Here  was  a  Man  whose  sympathy 
was  tender  toward  all;  but  who  sympathized  with  him? 
How  often  some  one  of  his  followers  has  borne  a  burden  of 
hidden  sorrow,  even  in  the  company  of  friends  and  when 
surrounded  by  admiring  throngs! 

6.  Jesus  Rebuking  Pride  and  Bigotry.     Ch.  9  :  46-50 

46  And  there  arose  a  reasoning  among  them,  which  of 
them  was  the  greatest.  47  But  when  Jesus  saw  the  reason- 
ing of  their  heart,  he  took  a  little  child,  and  set  him  by  his 
side,  48  and  said  unto  them,  Whosoever  shall  receive  this 
little  child  in  my  name  receiveth  me:  and  whosoever  shall 
receive  me  receiveth  him  that  sent  me:  for  he  that  is  least 
among  you  all,  the  same  is  great. 

49  And  John  answered  and  said,  Master,  we  saw  one 
casting  out  demons  in  thy  name;  and  we  forbade  him,  be- 
cause he  followeth  not  with  us.  50  But  Jesus  said  unto  him, 
Forbid  him  not:  for  he  that  is  not  against  you  is  for  you. 


Luke  9: 46-50      THE  FOURTH  PERIOD  101 

This  was  no  new  dispute  in  which  the  followers  of  Jesus 
were  engaged.  The  question  was  as  to  which  of  them 
should  be  the  greatest  in  his  Kingdom.  There  was  some- 
thing admirable  in  the  discussion,  for  it  revealed  their 
faith.  To  them  the  Master  was  yet  to  be  King  of  kings 
and  Lord  of  lords,  and  they  desired  to  have  places  nearest 
to  his  throne.  Our  conception  of  his  Kingdom  may  be 
more  correct,  but  if  its  glories  were  as  real  to  us  as  they 
were  to  them,  if  we  had  faith  enough  to  see  this  Kingdom 
in  its  real  importance,  we,  too,  might  at  times  question 
what  our  relative  places  in  this  Kingdom  are  or  will  be. 

However,  Jesus  rebuked  them,  for  there  is  no  place  for 
pride  among  the  followers  of  Christ.  Our  nearness  to  him 
is  not  won  by  selfish  effort  or  granted  by  arbitrary  decree; 
it  is  conditioned  upon  the  humble  service  we  may  render 
in  his  name.  "He  took  a  little  child,  and  set  him  by  his 
side";  not  because  a  child  is  a  picture  of  humility — most 
children  are  self-conscious  and  absurdly  proud — but  be- 
cause the  care  of  a  child  is  a  symbol  of  humble  service,  and 
it  was  this  spirit  which  Jesus  praised.  To  care  for  a  child, 
or  for  men  and  women  who  like  children  are  in  need  of  our 
help  and  sympathy  and  support,  if  done  for  the  sake  of 
Christ  and  in  the  name  of  Christ,  is  a  service  rendered  to 
the  Master  himself  and  not  only  to  him  but  also  to  his 
Father.  The  willingness  to  undertake  such  humble  serv- 
ice is  the  measure  of  true  greatness. 

The  mention  of  service  in  the  mind  of  the  Master  re- 
minded John  of  a  recent  incident  which  he  felt  to  be  quite 
to  his  credit;  so  "John  answered  and  said,  Master,  we  saw 
one  casting  out  demons  in  thy  name;  and  we  forbade  him, 
because  he  followeth  not  with  us. "  There  was  something 
admirable  in  the  spirit  and  action  of  John.  He  was  so  de- 
voted to  Christ  that  he  wished  everyone  professing  his 
name  to  join  the  company  of  disciples,  to  live  and  to  labor 
and  to  suffer  with  them.  There  is  always  something  ad- 
mirable in  loyalty  to  a  denomination  or  a  sect.  If  one  has 
found  what  he  believes  to  be  the  highest  form  of  Christian 
life  and  service,  if  one  feels  that  he  is  treading  the  surest 
and  shortest  road  to  heaven,  it  is  certainly  commendable 
in  him  to  wish  others  to  share  his  peculiar  blessedness. 


102  THE  MINISTRY  IN  GALILEE    Luke  9:  46-50 

Jesus,  however,  rebuked  him,  and  said,  "Forbid  him 
not:  for  he  that  is  not  against  you  is  for  you. "  After  all, 
there  is  no  place  for  bigotry  among  the  followers  of  Christ. 
We  may  love  and  admire  our  sect  or  society,  but  we  are 
never  to  stop  the  work  of  a  fellow  Christian  however  much 
he  may  differ  from  us.  There  are  only  two  questions  to 
ask:  First,  Is  he  casting  out  demons?  That  is  to  say,  is  he 
really  accomplishing  good?  Second,  Is  he  doing  the  work 
in  the  name  of  a  divine,  crucified,  risen  Christ?  If  so, 
"Forbid  him  not."  We  must  not  expect  all  Christians  to 
repeat  the  same  creed  or  to  enjoy  the  same  ritual  or  to  ac- 
cept the  same  polity  or  to  employ  the  same  methods  of 
work.  We  should  remember  the  word  of  the  Master,  "He 
that  is  not  against  you  is  for  you. " 


Luke  9: 51-56         THE  FIRST  STAGES  103 


V.    The  Journeys  Toward  Jerusalem 
Chs.  9:51  to  19:28. 

A.  THE  FIRST  STAGES      Ch,  9:  51  to  13:  21 

1.  The   Inhospitable    Samaritans.     Ch.   9  :  51-56 

51  And  it  came  to  pass,  when  the  days  were  well-nigh 
ome  that  he  should  be  received  up,  he  stedfastly  set  his 
race  to  go  to  Jerusalem,  52  and  sent  messengers  before  his 
face:  and  they  went,  and  entered  into  a  village  of  the  Samari- 
tans, to  make  ready  for  him.  53  And  they  did  not  receive 
him,  because  his  face  was  as  though  he  were  going  to  Jeru- 
salem. 54  And  when  his  disciples  James  and  John  saw  this, 
they  said,  Lord,  wilt  thou  that  we  bid  fire  to  come  down 
from  heaven,  and  consume  them?  55  But  he  turned,  and  re- 
buked them.    56  And  they  went  to  another  village. 

The  record  of  the  last  journeys  of  our  Lord  toward  Jeru- 
salem forms  a  unique  feature  in  the  Gospel  of  Luke.  In 
the  other  Gospels  some  of  these  incidents  are  included  but 
they  occupy  only  one  or  two  chapters;  here,  however,  they 
fill  ten  chapters  with  events  most  of  which  are  no  where 
else  related. 

The  direction  of  the  journeying  was  first  eastward 
through  the  borders  of  Galilee  and  Samaria,  then  across 
the  Jordan  and  then  southward  through  the  region  of 
Perea.  This  region  is  not  so  designated  in  the  Bible  but 
is  described  by  the  phrase,  "beyond  the  Jordan,"  and  as 
most  of  these  incidents  occurred  there,  this  period  of  the 
life  of  Jesus  is  commonly  called  his  "  Perean  ministry." 
Luke  here  emphasizes  the  divine  prevision  and  at  the  same 
time  the  human  courage  of  our  Lord.  He  indicates  that 
Jesus  saw  plainly  his  coming  death  and  also  his  glorious 
ascension,  but  that  he  unfalteringly  moved  forward  to  the 
intervening  agonies  of  the  cross. 

The  first  incident  of  these  journeys  was  in  a  village  of  the 
Samaritans.  Certain  messengers  had  gone  before  to  pre- 
pare entertainment  for  the  large  company  which  followed 
Jesus,  but  the  Samaritans  would  not  receive  him;  then  his 


104     JOURNEYS  TOWARD  JERUSALEM    Luke  9:  57-62 

disciples,  James  and  John,  suggested  that  they  should 
"bid  fire  to  come  down  from  heaven  and  consume  them." 
There  was  something  admirable  in  the  indignation  of  these 
disciples.  The  Samaritans  were  moved  by  a  narrow  and 
provincial  prejudice  and  they  were  offering  to  Jesus  a 
gratuitous  insult.  It  sometimes  seems  that  the  genius  for 
indignation  has  disappeared,  and  it  is  refreshing  to  see  men 
who  feel  deeply  any  disrespect  to  Christ,  any  injury  to  his 
cause. 

But  Jesus  rebuked  his  disciples,  "And  they  went  to 
another  village."  There  may  be  place  for  righteous  in- 
dignation, but  there  is  no  place  among  the  followers  of 
Christ  for  anger,  for  intolerance,  or  for  revenge.  This  is 
not  a  time  of  judgment,  but  of  grace.  It  is  not  for  us  to 
attempt  to  administer  vengeance,  but  to  preach  the  gospel 
of  love. 

2.  Jesus  Rebuking  Rashness,  Insincerity,  and  Indecision.      Ch.  9  :  57-62 

57  And  as  they  went  on  the  way,  a  certain  man  said  unto 
him,  I  will  follow  thee  whithersoever  thou  goest.  58  And 
Jesus  said  unto  him,  The  foxes  have  holes,  and  the  birds  of 
the  heaven  have  nests;  but  the  Son  of  man  hath  not  where 
to  lay  his  head.  59  And  he  said  unto  another,  Follow  me. 
But  he  said,  Lord,  suffer  me  first  to  go  and  bury  my  father. 

60  But  he  said  unto  him,  Leave  the  dead  to  bury  their  own 
dead;  but  go  thou  and  publish  abroad  the  kingdom  of  God. 

61  And  another  also  said,  I  will  follow  thee,  Lord;  but  first 
suffer  me  to  bid  farewell  to  them  that  are  at  my  house.  62 
But  Jesus  said  unto  him,  No  man,  having  put  his  hand  to 
the  plow,  and  looking  back,  is  fit  for  the  kingdom  of  God. 

These  three  incidents  show  how  carefully  Jesus  was 
sifting  those  who  wished  to  become  his  followers  and  how 
deeply  he  appreciated  the  fact  that  he  was  passing  through 
this  region  for  the  last  time.  The  first  of  the  three  men 
with  whom  Jesus  spoke  was  being  swept  along  by  his  emo- 
tions, by  the  sight  of  the  crowd  which  was  following  the 
Master,  and  by  the  thought  that  it  would  be  a  great  privi- 
lege to  be  in  such  company.  He  had  not  for  a  moment 
realized  that  it  might  involve  sacrifice  and  pain  to  become 
a  disciple  of  the  Master.     It  was  for  this  reason  that  Jesus 


Luke  9: 57-62  THE  FIRST  STAGES  105 

turned  to  him  with  a  statement  which  implies  a  rebuke  and 
suggests  that  the  Master  realized  the  thoughtlessness  and 
rashness  which  were  prompting  this  professed  follower. 
"The  foxes  have  holes,  and  the  birds  of  the  heaven  have 
nests;  but  the  Son  of  man  hath  not  where  to  lay  his  head. " 
Of  course  Jesus  is  eager  to  have  men  vow  their  allegiance 
to  him  and  openly  acknowledge  their  discipleship;  but 
among  his  followers  there  is  no  place  for  rashness.  He 
would  have  us  count  the  cost. 

In  the  case  of  the  next  man,  when  he  was  bidden  to  fol- 
low Christ,  he  offered  an  excuse,  "Lord,  suffer  me  first  to 
go  and  bury  my  father. "  This  was  a  natural  request  and 
it  seemed  that  a  tender  duty  made  it  necessary  for  him  to 
decline  the  invitation  of  the  Master.  There  seems  some- 
thing rather  severe  in  the  reply,  "Leave  the  dead  to  bury 
their  own  dead ;  but  go  thou  and  publish  abroad  the  kingdom 
of  God."  It  is  evident  that  Jesus  had  looked  into  the 
heart  of  this  man  and  saw  that  he  was  making  a  selfish  ex- 
cuse out  of  a  sacred  duty.  If  his  reply  was  sincere,  it  none 
the  less  merited  a  reproof,  for  a  more  sacred  duty  than 
caring  for  the  dead  was  laid  upon  him  by  the  invitation  of 
the  living  Christ.  No  tie,  however  tender,  can  be  regarded 
as  a  sufficient  excuse  for  refusing  to  become  a  follower  of 
Christ.  Jesus  was  passing  that  way  for  the  last  time. 
Prompt  obedience  was  absolutely  necessary.  Those  who 
were  spiritually  "dead"  and  who  had  not  heard  the  sum- 
mons of  the  Master  could  provide  the  needed  burial;  but 
it  was  possible  for  the  one  who  had  been  called  by  Christ 
to  perform  a  more  sacred  task:  he  could  begin  to  proclaim 
the  gospel  of  salvation  and  of  life. 

In  the  case  of  the  third  possible  disciple,  there  was  no 
carelessness;  he  had  counted  the  cost;  it  was  not  his  inten- 
tion to  make  any  excuse;  he  was  sincere  and  definite  in  his 
intention,  but  he  wished  to  delay.  He  was  not  quite  cer- 
tain that  it  was  best  just  then  to  leave  his  family  and  his 
friends.  At  least  he  wished  to  delay  long  enough  to  re- 
turn to  his  home  and  to  bid  them  farewell.  But  Jesus  re- 
buked him ;  "  No  man,  having  put  his  hand  to  the  plow,  and 
looking  back,  is  fit  for  the  kingdom  of  God. "  Such  hesi- 
tation indicates  that  one  has  not  appreciated  the  glory  and 


106    JOURNEYS  TOWARD  JERUSALEM   Luke  10: 1-20 

privilege  involved  in  the  call  of  Christ  or  that  he  still  weighs 
against  it  the  sacrifices  it  involves.  He  is  self-condemned. 
There  is  no  place  for  indecision  among  those  who  are  to  be 
heirs  of  the  Kingdom  of  God. 

3.  The  Mission  of  the  Seventy.     Ch.  10  :  1-24 

1  Now  after  these  things  the  Lord  appointed  seventy 
others,  and  sent  them  two  and  two  before  his  face  into  every 
city  and  place,  whither  he  himself  was  about  to  come.  2  And 
he  said  unto  them,  The  harvest  indeed  is  plenteous,  but  the 
laborers  are  few:  pray  ye  therefore  the  Lord  of  the  harvest, 
that  he  send  forth  laborers  into  his  harvest.  3  Go  your  ways ; 
behold,  I  send  you  forth  as  lambs  in  the  midst  of  wolves. 
4  Carry  no  purse,  no  wallet,  no  shoes ;  and  salute  no  man  on 
the  way.  5  And  into  whatsoever  house  ye  shall  enter,  first 
say,  Peace  be  to  this  house.  6  And  if  a  son  of  peace  be  there, 
your  peace  shall  rest  upon  him:  but  if  not,  it  shall  turn  to  you 
again.  7  And  in  that  same  house  remain,  eating  and  drinking 
such  things  as  they  give :  for  the  laborer  is  worthy  of  his  hire. 
Go  not  from  house  to  house.  8  And  into  whatsoever  city  ye 
enter,  and  they  receive  you,  eat  such  things  as  are  set  before 
you:  9  and  heal  the  sick  that  are  therein,  and  say  unto  them, 
The  kingdom  of  God  is  come  nigh  unto  you.  10  But  into 
whatsoever  city  ye  shall  enter,  and  they  receive  you  not,  go 
out  into  the  streets  thereof  and  say,  11  Even  the  dust  from 
your  city,  that  cleaveth  to  our  feet,  we  wipe  off  against  you: 
nevertheless  know  this,  that  the  kingdom  of  God  is  come  nigh. 
12  I  say  unto  you,  It  shall  be  more  tolerable  in  that  day  for 
Sodom,  than  for  that  city.  13  Woe  unto  thee,  Chorazinf  woe 
unto  thee,  Bethsaida!  for  if  the  mighty  works  had  been  done 
in  Tyre  and  Sidon,  which  were  done  in  you,  they  would  ha  /e 
repented  long  ago,  sitting  in  sackcloth  and  ashes.  14  But  it 
shall  be  more  tolerable  for  Tyre  and  Sidon  in  the  judgment, 
than  for  you.  15  And  thou,  Capernaum,  shalt  thou  be  exalted 
unto  heaven?  thou  shalt  be  brought  down  unto  Hades.  16 
He  that  heareth  you  heareth  me ;  and  he  that  rejecteth  you 
rejecteth  me;  and  he  that  rejecteth  me  rejecteth  him  that 
sent  me. 

17  And  the  seventy  returned  with  joy,  saying,  Lord,  even 
the  demons  are  subject  unto  us  in  thy  name.  18  And  he  said 
unto  them,  I  beheld  Satan  fallen  as  lightning  from  heaven. 
19  Behold,  I  have  given  you  authority  to  tread  upon  serpents 
and  scorpions,  and  over  all  the  power  of  the  enemy:  and  noth- 
ing shall  in  any  wise  hurt  you.    20  Nevertheless  in  this  re- 


Luke  10:21-24        THE  FIRST  STAGES  107 

joice  not,  that  the  spirits  are  subject  unto  you;  but  rejoice 
that  your  names  are  written  in  heaven. 

21  In  that  same  hour  he  rejoiced  in  the  Holy  Spirit,  and 
said,  I  thank  thee,  O  Father,  Lord  of  heaven  and  earth,  that 
thou  didst  hide  these  things  from  the  wise  and  understand- 
ing, and  didst  reveal  them  unto  babes: yea, Father; for  so  it 
was  well-pleasing  in  thy  sight.  22  All  things  have  been  de- 
livered unto  me  of  my  Father:  and  no  one  knoweth  who  the 
Son  is,  save  the  Father;  and  who  the  Father  is,  save  the  Son, 
and  he  to  whomsoever  the  Son  willeth  to  reveal  him.  23 
And  turning  to  the  disciples,  he  said  privately,  Blessed  are 
the  eyes  which  see  the  things  that  ye  see :  24  for  I  say  unto 
you,  that  many  prophets  and  kings  desired  to  see  the  things 
which  ye  see,  and  saw  them  not;  and  to  hear  the  things  which 
ye  hear,  and  heard  them  not. 

The  sending  out  of  the  seventy  messengers  who  were  to 
prepare  the  way  for  the  ministry  of  Jesus  is  recorded  by 
Luke  alone.  This  is  in  harmony  with  the  fact  that  only 
in  this  Gospel  do  we  read  of  the  extended  journeys  toward 
Jerusalem  made  by  our  Lord  on  the  occasion  of  which  the 
Seventy  were  sent  forth.  The  work  was  for  only  a  limited 
time  and  their  office  was  temporary;  but  in  his  instructions 
to  them  Jesus  suggested  many  principles  of  life  which  apply 
to  his  followers  in  all  the  ages.  He  first  intimated  the  rea- 
son for  their  being  chosen.  It  was  because  the  harvest 
field  in  which  they  were  to  work  was  so  great  and  the  la- 
borer- so  few.  He  intimated  that  before  the  world  can 
receive  the  message  which  the  Seventy  were  sent  to  deliver, 
they  and  their  successors  must  earnestly  pray  the  Lord  of 
the  harvest  to  send  forth  more  laborers  into  the  field.  This 
is  a  prayer  which  all  who  serve  the  Master  may  offer  ear- 
nestly and  at  all  times.  The  work  seems  to  be  only  begun. 
Our  sympathy  with  the  Master  will  make  us  yearn  to  see 
the  work  accomplished  with  more  speed,  which  can  only 
be  possible  when  larger  numbers  of  laborers  are  secured. 
V.  2. 

Jesus  told  his  messengers  that  as  they  went  forth  they 
must  expect  to  meet  with  dangers.  "I  send  you  forth  as 
lambs  in  the  midst  of  wolves."  They  were,  however,  to 
encumber  themselves  with  nothing  superfluous  and  they 
were  to  waste  no  time  in  idle  ceremonies;  they  must  journey 


108    JOURNEYS  TOWARD  JERUSALEM  Luke  10:  21-24 

as  men  who  are  impelled  by  one  supreme  motive.     Vs.  3,  4. 

As  they  entered  a  home  they  were  to  offer  the  peace 
which  the  gospel  can  give,  but  if  rejected,  they  were  to  be- 
lieve that  their  very  message  would  return  to  them  with 
added  force.  Thus  our  Lord  signified  that  no  word  spo- 
ken for  his  sake  is  really  wasted.     Vs.  5,  6. 

They  were  to  continue  in  the  home  which  received  them, 
content  with  what  was  given,  offering  relief  to  those  in  dis- 
tress and  using  every  opportunity  to  proclaim  the  message 
of  grace.     Vs.  7-9. 

Where  their  message  was  refused,  and  they  were  not  re- 
ceived by  city  or  town,  they  were  to  turn  away,  shaking  off 
the  dust  of  their  feet,  thus  intimating  by  an  Oriental  sym- 
bol that  they  had  no  connection  with  the  enemies  of  Christ. 
At  no  time  is  the  reception  of  the  gospel  message  universal. 
There  are  always  some  who  refuse  to  accept  its  gracious 
offer.     Vs.  10-12. 

The  thought  of  those  who  would  surely  reject  his  mes- 
sengers reminded  Jesus  of  the  cities  which  had  already  re- 
jected him,  and  he  paused  for  a  moment  to  speak  solemnly 
of  their  guilty  unbelief.  He  referred  to  Chorazin  and 
Bethsaida,  declaring  that  in  the  Day  of  Judgment  it  would 
be  more  tolerable  for  Tyre  and  Sidon  than  for  these  cities, 
for  even  the  heathen  world  would  have  repented  in  the  face 
of  such  evidence  of  his  divine  mission  as  Jesus  had  given  to 
the  cities  of  Israel.  He  referred  particularly  to  Capernaum, 
to  its  peculiar  privileges  and  to  its  consequently  greater 
condemnation.  Jesus  was  stating  the  abiding  principle 
that  unusual  opportunities  involve  unusual  responsibilities. 
He  emphasized  the  seriousness  of  rejecting  his  messengers 
by  stating  that  in  despising  them  men  are  really  despising 
himself  and  that  those  who  reject  Jesus  are  rejecting  his 
Father  who  sent  him.,  vs.  13-16. 

In  order  to  complete  the  story  of  the  Seventy,  Luke  pro- 
ceeds at  once  to  describe  their  return.  They  came  back 
elated,  with  the  report  that  even  the  demons  were  subject 
to  them.  Our  Lord  replied  by  a  statement  that  in  the 
overthrow  of  these  messengers  of  Satan  he  saw  the  ultimate 
defeat  of  the  Prince  of  darkness  and  of  all  the  forces  of  evil, 
and  he  declared  that  he  was  giving  to  his  messengers  power 


Luke  10: 25-34        THE  FIRST  STAGES  109 

over  all  that  might  oppose  or  might  threaten  to  destroy 
them.  Yet,  he  added,  their  chief  joy  should  not  be  in  their 
ability  to  perform  these  works  of  wonder,  but  rather  in  their 
having  a  part  in  his  triumphant  cause  and  in  receiving  his 
salvation.     Vs.  17-20. 

At  this  time  our  Lord  himself  shared  in  the  exultation  of 
his  followers  and  returned  thanks  to  the  Father  for  what  he 
was  accomplishing  through  the  humble  messengers  whom 
Jesus  had  chosen,  so  that  the  results  were  a  manifestation 
of  divine  power.  He  added  a  striking  claim  which  indi- 
cates that  the  ideal  Man  is  likewise  the  true  Son  of  God  who 
alone  can  reveal  the  Father  to  men.  Then  lastly,  as  he 
turned  to  his  disciples,  he  congratulated  them  upon  their 
great  privilege,  assuring  them  that  "many  prophets  and 
kings"  desired  to  see  the  things  which  they  were  seeing  as 
his  servants  and  as  the  instruments  of  his  power.  He  inti- 
mated something  of  the  exalted  joy  which  through  all  the 
coming  years  his  followers  would  feel  as  they  realized  their 
privilege  of  serving  such  a  Master,  and  of  revealing  him  to 
men.     Vs.  21-24. 

4.  The  Good  Samaritan.     Ch.  10  :  25-37 

25  And  behold,  a  certain  lawyer  stood  up  and  made  trial 
of  him,  saying,  Teacher,  what  shall  I  do  to  inherit  eternal 
life?  26  And  he  said  unto  him,  What  is  written  in  the  law? 
how  readest  thou?  27  And  he  answering  said,  Thou  shalt 
love  the  Lord  thy  God  with  all  thy  heart,  and  with  all  thy  soul, 
and  with  all  thy  strength,  and  with  all  thy  mind;  and  thy 
neighbor  as  thyself.  28  And  he  said  unto  him,  Thou  hast 
answered  right:  this  do,  and  thou  shalt  live.  29  But  he,  de- 
siring to  justify  himself,  said  unto  Jesus,  And  who  is  my 
neighbor?  30  Jesus  made  answer  and  said,  A  certain  man 
was  going  down  from  Jerusalem  to  Jericho;  and  he  fell 
among  robbers,  who  both  stripped  him  and  beat  him,  and 
departed,  leaving  him  half  dead.  31  And  by  chance  a  certain 
priest  was  going  down  that  way:  and  when  he  saw  him,  he 
passed  by  on  the  other  side.  32  And  in  like  manner  a  Levite 
also,  when  he  came  to  the  place,  and  saw  him,  passed  by  on 
other  side.  33  But  a  certain  Samaritan,  as  he  journeyed, 
came  where  he  was :  and  when  he  saw  him,  he  was  moved 
with  compassion,  34  and  came  to  him,  and  bound  up  his 
wounds,  pouring  on  them  oil  and  wine;  and  he  set  him  on 


110    JOURNEYS  TOWARD  JERUSALEM  Luke  10:  35-37 

his  own  beast,  and  brought  him  to  an  inn,  and  took  care  of 
him.  35  And  on  the  morrow  he  took  out  two  shillings,  and 
gave  them  to  the  host,  and  said,  Take  care  of  him;  and  what- 
soever thou  spendest  more,  I,  when  I  come  back  again,  will 
repay  thee.  36  Which  of  these  three,  thinkest  thou,  proved 
neighbor  unto  him  that  fell  among  the  robbers?  37  And  he 
said,  He  that  showed  mercy  on  him.  And  Jesus  said  unto 
him,  Go,  and  do  thou  likewise. 

The  parable  of  the  Good  Samaritan  was  spoken  to  a  cer- 
tain lawyer  who,  trusting  to  his  knowledge  of  the  Old  Testa- 
ment, and  of  its  subtle  interpretations  by  the  rabbis,  came 
to  Jesus  hoping  to  dispute  with  him  and  to  defeat  him  in 
debate.  He  asked  Jesus  this  question,  "Teacher,  what 
shall  I  do  to  inherit  eternal  life?"  He  evidently  thought 
that  Jesus  would  prescribe  some  new  rites  or  ceremonies  or 
would  in  some  other  way  disparage  the  Law.  He  was  star- 
tled, then,  to  have  Jesus  reply,  "What  is  written  in  the 
law?"  This  answer  robbed  the  enemy  of  his  own  weapon. 
He,  however,  made  a  skillful  reply,  and  declared  that  the 
Law  is  summarized  in  the  requirement  to  love  God  and 
man.  Jesus  again  replied,  "Thou  hast  answered  right: 
this  do,  and  thou  shalt  live."  There  was  no  shadow  of 
evasion  or  deception  in  the  statement  of  Jesus.  Perfect 
love  to  God  and  to  man  is  surely  the  way  of  life;  but  who 
can  show  such  perfect  love?  Jesus  came  not  to  destroy 
this  requirement  of  the  Law  but  to  reveal  its  complete  ful- 
fillment, to  secure  pardon  for  those  who  were  guilty  of  its 
infraction,  and  to  give  power  to  those  who  felt  their  need. 

The  reply  of  Jesus  not  only  defeated  the  lawyer;  it  smote 
his  conscience.  He  realized  that  he  himself  had  never  ful- 
filled the  requirement  of  the  Law  he  knew  so  well.  He 
therefore  attempted  to  justify  himself  by  limiting  the 
sphere  to  which  the  law  of  love  applies.  This  is  always  the 
experience  of  those  who  seek  to  save  themselves  while  re- 
jecting the  salvation  of  Christ.  No  one  in  his  own  power 
can  fulfill  the  demands  of  this  perfect  law;  either  we  must 
secure  aid  outside  ourselves  and  trust  in  a  loving  Saviour, 
or  else  we  must  in  some  way  lessen  the  demands  which  the 
law  makes.  The  lawyer  suggested  that  it  is  impossible  to 
love  everyone,  even  though  it  be  required  to  love  our  neigh- 


Luke  10:38-42         THE  FIRST  STAGES  111 

bors,  and  to  justify  himself  he  asked  the  question,  "And 
who  is  my  neighbor?"  Jesus  replied  by  the  story  of  the 
man,  evidently  a  Jew,  who  went  down  the  steep  road  from 
Jerusalem  to  Jericho  and,  as  he  passed  through  the  narrow 
gorge,  was  beset  by  robbers  who  stripped  him  of  his  gar- 
ments and  his  possessions  and  left  him  half  dead.  The 
first  to  approach  this  pitiful  sufferer  was  a  priest,  a  man 
whose  profession  and  task  in  life  would  induce  him  to  per- 
form a  deed  of  mercy,  but  in  fear  of  thieves  or  in  blind  ob- 
livion to  the  need  of  the  wounded  man,  he  passed  by  on  the 
other  side.  Next  came  a  Levite,  one  whose  office  was  that 
of  a  helper  to  the  priests,  a  man  who  supposedly  would  be 
less  burdened  by  official  duties  and  would  have  more  time 
to  extend  relief;  but  he  likewise  passed  by.  At  last  came  a 
Samaritan,  a  man  of  an  alien  race  and  of  a  despised  religion, 
but  he  showed  compassion ;  he  bound  up  the  wounds  of  the 
sufferer  and  placed  him  on  his  beast  and  brought  him  to  an 
inn  and  paid  for  his  entertainment.  He  showed  the  spirit 
of  love.  Thus  Jesus  indicated  that  our  neighbor  is  not 
only  one  who  "lives  near"  but  one  who  needs  our  help,  as 
well  as  one  who  helps  our  need.  He  demonstrated  the 
truth  that  the  law  of  love  is  not  limited  by  rank  or  station 
or  race  or  creed.  Nor  is  it  limited  to  man.  One  must  like- 
wise love  God  with  all  the  heart,  and  thus  he  will  surely 
love  and  serve  the  Son  in  whom  the  love  of  God  is  made 
perfect. 

5.  Martha  and  Mary.     Ch.  10  :  38-42 

38  Now  as  they  went  on  their  way,  he  entered  into  a  cer- 
tain village:  and  a  certain  woman  named  Martha  received 
him  into  her  house.  39  And  she  had  a  sister  called  Mary, 
who  also  sat  at  the  Lord's  feet,  and  heard  his  word.  40  But 
Martha  was  cumbered  about  much  serving ;  and  she  came  up 
to  him,  and  said,  Lord,  dost  thou  not  care  that  my  sister  did 
leave  me  to  serve  alone?  bid  her  therefore  that  she  help  me. 
41  But  the  Lord  answered  and  said  unto  her,  Martha,  Martha, 
thou  art  anxious  and  troubled  about  many  things :  42  but  one 
thing  is  needful:  for  Mary  hath  chosen  the  good  part,  which 
shall  not  be  taken  away  from  her. 

The  unfailing  human  interest  of  Luke  is  nowhere  more 
perfectly  expressed  than  by  this  exquisite  scene  in  the  home 


112    JOURNEYS  TOWARD  JERUSALEM  Luke  10: 38-42 

at  Bethany.  It  is  to  be  regretted  that  it  has  become  the 
occasion  for  endless  debate  as  to  the  relative  merits  of 
Martha  and  Mary.  Some  imagine  that  the  former  was 
unloving  but  energetic  and  efficient,  and  that  the  latter 
was  affectionate,  but  sentimental  and  indolent.  In  reality 
both  sisters  had  admirable  qualities;  both  loved  the  Master 
and  longed  to  please  him;  but  on  this  occasion  Martha,  in 
her  very  eagerness  to  serve,  had  overburdened  herself  in  the 
preparation  of  an  elaborate  meal,  while  Mary,  with  truer 
intuition  of  what  Jesus  wished,  "sat  at  the  Lord's  feet,  and 
heard  his  word."  She  knew  that  he  desired,  not  for  his 
own  sake,  but  for  theirs,  to  reveal  himself  and  to  deliver  his 
heavenly  message,  and  thus  according  to  the  fine  art  of  hos- 
pitality, she  considered  first  the  wish  of  her  guest  and  was 
thus  doing  more  to  entertain  the  Master  than  was  her  sis- 
ter. 

"Martha  was  cumbered  about  much  serving;"  she  was 
distracted  by  the  many  things  she  was  trying  to  do.  It  is 
possible  for  a  follower  of  Christ  to  attempt  too  much;  some- 
times this  is  due  to  a  sense  of  self-importance  and  of  pride. 
It  may  result  in  such  a  mood  of  irritation  and  temper  as 
was  shown  by  Martha  when  in  criticizing  her  sisters  he  hu- 
miliated her  by  rebuking  her  in  the  presence  of  their  Guest, 
and  by  addressing  the  remark  to  him  rebuked  him  as  well, 
"Lord,  dost  thou  not  care  that  my  sister  did  leave  me  to 
serve  alone?  bid  her  therefore  that  she  help  me."  In  his 
reply  Jesus  showed  his  affection  by  tenderly  repeating  her 
name,  but  he  rebuked  her  spirit  and  revealed  its  cause, 
"Martha,  Martha,  thou  art  anxious  and  troubled  about 
many  things :  but  one  thing  is  needful :  for  Mary  hath  chosen 
the  good  part,  which  shall  not  be  taken  away  from  her." 
There  was  no  need  for  an  elaborate  meal ;  but  few  things  or 
one  would  have  sufficed;  yet  one  thing  was  needful,  and 
that  Mary  had  chosen,  for  while  the  Master  does  appreciate 
all  that  we  undertake  for  him,  he  knows  that  our  first  need 
is  to  sit  at  his  feet  and  learn  his  will ;  then  in  our  tasks  we 
shall  be  calm  and  peaceful  and  kindly,  and  at  last  our  serv- 
ice may  attain  the  perfectness  of  that  of  Mary  when  in  a 
later  scene  she  poured  upon  the  feet  of  Jesus  the  ointment, 
the  perfume  of  which  still  fills  the  world. 


Luke  11:  1-13         THE  FIRST  STAGES  113 

6.  Jesus'  Teaching  Concerning  Prayer.     Ch.  11  :  1-13 

1  And  it  came  to  pass,  as  he  was  praying  in  a  certain 
place,  that  when  he  ceased,  one  of  his  disciples  said  unto 
him,  Lord,  teach  us  to  pray,  even  as  John  also  taught  his 
disciples.  2  And  he  said  unto  them,  When  ye  pray,  say, 
Father,  Hallowed  be  thy  name.  Thy  kingdom  come.  3  Give 
us  day  by  day  our  daily  bread.  4  And  forgive  us  our  sins ; 
for  we  ourselves  also  forgive  every  one  that  is  indebted  to  us. 
And  bring  us  not  into  temptation. 

5  And  he  said  unto  them,  Which  of  you  shall  have  a  friend, 
and  shall  go  unto  him  at  midnight,  and  say  to  him,  Friend, 
lend  me  three  loaves;  6  for  a  friend  of  mine  is  come  to  me 
from  a  journey,  and  I  have  nothing  to  set  before  him ;  7  and 
he  from  within  shall  answer  and  say,  Trouble  me  not:  the 
door  is  now  shut,  and  my  children  are  with  me  in  bed;  I 
cannot  rise  and  give  thee?  8  I  say  unto  you,  Though  he  will 
not  rise  and  give  him,  because  he  is  his  friend,  yet  because 
of  his  importunity  he  will  arise  and  give  him  as  many  as  he 
needeth.  9  And  I  say  unto  you,  Ask,  and  it  shall  be  given 
you;  seek,  and  ye  shall  find;  knock,  and  it  shall  be  opened 
unto  you.  10  For  every  one  that  asketh  receiveth;  and  he 
that  seeketh  findeth;  and  to  him  that  knocketh  it  shall  be 
opened.  1 1  And  of  which  of  you  that  is  a  father  shall  his  son 
ask  a  loaf,  and  he  give  him  a  stone?  or  a  fish,  and  he  for  a 
fish  give  him  a  serpent?  12  Or  if  he  shall  ask  an  egg,  will 
he  give  him  a  scorpion?  13  If  ye  then,  being  evil,  know  how 
to  give  good  gifts  unto  your  children,  how  much  more  shall 
your  heavenly  Father  give  the  Holy  Spirit  to  them  that  ask 
him? 

When  the  disciples  came  to  the  Master  with  the  request, 
"Lord,  teach  us  to  pray,"  they  had  already,  for  some  time, 
been  with  Christ  in  the  school  of  prayer,  and  they  had  been 
impressed  by  that  most  valuable  of  object  lessons,  namely, 
the  example  of  Christ  himself.  If  in  our  minds  doubt  ever 
arises  as  to  the  reality  and  efficacy  of  prayer,  we  need  only 
turn  to  the  Gospel  of  Luke  to  be  reminded  that  our  Lord 
spent  long  hours  in  intercession  and  that  he  prayed  at  every 
crisis  in  his  life.  Surely  we  shall  not  be  misled  if  we  follow 
in  his  steps ! 

What  the  disciples  wished,  however,  was  some  special 
form  or  formula  for  prayer,  such  as  John  the  Baptist  seems 
to  have  given  his  followers.     Jesus  replied  by  granting 


114    JOURNEYS  TOWARD  JERUSALEM   Luke  11:  1-13 

them  a  matchless  model  and  then  by  encouraging  them  in 
the  assurance  that  prayer  will  surely  be  heard.  This 
"Lord's  Prayer,"  more  fully  recorded  by  Matthew,  was  not 
intended  as  a  form  which  must  be  used  rigidly  on  all  occa- 
sions, but  as  a  type  which  should  mold  all  prayer,  however 
free  and  varied  and  spontaneous  it  may  be. 

The  first  word,  "Father,"  suggests  the  filial  spirit  in 
which  all  believers  should  draw  near  to  God,  and  it  inti- 
mates much  of  the  encouragement  which  Jesus  gave  his 
disciples  in  the  verses  which  immediately  follow  this  prayer. 

The  prayer  contains  five  petitions,  two  relating  to  the 
cause  of  God  in  the  world,  and  three  to  personal  needs  of 
the  petitioners.  The  first  is  a  request  that  the  "name"  of 
God,  his  revelation,  or  our  conception  of  God,  be  so  rever- 
enced, or  so  exalted,  on  earth  as  it  is  in  heaven.  The  second 
is  a  parallel  request,  namely,  that  his  Kingdom  may  come. 
This  Kingdom  is  to  be  external,  visible,  glorious;  it  depends 
upon  the  inward  transformation  of  individuals,  but  it  will 
yet  appear  in  a  perfected  social  order,  and  in  the  universal 
reign  of  Christ.  The  next  petition  is  for  "bread  sufficient 
for  our  needs,"  and  it  implies  our  right  to  pray  for  all  that 
concerns  our  physical  welfare.  We  are  then  taught  to  pray 
for  pardon,  as  we  come  to  God  in  a  spirit  of  forgiveness  to- 
ward others;  and  lastly,  to  ask  for  continual  protection 
from  the  snares  of  the  Adversary  and  from  all  the  powers  of 
evil. 

To  encourage  his  disciples  in  such  petitions  Jesus  gave 
them  the  story  of  the  man  whose  ceaseless,  almost  shame- 
less, asking  secured  for  him  the  answer  to  his  request  for 
needed  bread.  Jesus  implied,  however,  that  there  is,  on 
the  part  of  God,  no  such  reluctance  to  be  overcome,  so  that 
all  who  "ask"  of  him  will  receive  what  they  need;  if  they 
"seek"  relief  he  will  grant  it,  if  they  "knock,"  even  at  "mid- 
night," he  will  open  the  door  without  delay. 

Further  still  Jesus  encouraged  prayer  by  again  reminding 
his  hearers  that  they  were  praying  to  a  Father.  Human 
parents  reply  to  the  requests  of  their  children. not  by  mocking 
them  or  with  injurious  gifts,  not  by  giving  a  stone  when 
bread  is  asked,  or  a  serpent  for  a  fish,  or  a  scorpion  instead 
of  an  egg.     If  then,  with  all  our  imperfections  and  limita- 


Luke  11:  14-29       THE  FIRST  STAGES  115 

tions,  we  know  how  to  give  good  gifts  to  our  children,  much 
more  can  we  expect  our  heavenly  Father  to  give  his  Holy 
Spirit,  and  so  all  other  good  if  lesser  gifts,  to  them  that  ask 
him.  Thus  again  we  see  that  the  blessed  name  of  "Father" 
is  the  key  to  the  lesson.  If  we  approach  him  as  children  it 
will  be  with  confidence,  but  also  with  submission,  as  we 
know  that,  whether  he  gives  or  withholds,  his  reply  will  be 
an  expression  of  infinite  mercy  and  of  fatherly  love. 

7.  Jesus  Rebuking  Blasphemy  and  Unbelief.     Ch.  11  :  14-36 

14  And  he  was  casting  out  a  demon  that  was  dumb.  And 
it  came  to  pass,  when  the  demon  was  gone  out,  the  dumb 
man  spake;  and  the  multitudes  marvelled.  15  But  some  of 
them  said,  By  Beelzebub  the  prince  of  the  demons  casteth  he 
out  demons.  16  And  others,  trying  him,  sought  of  him  a  sign 
from  heaven.  17  But  he,  knowing  their  thoughts,  said  unto 
them,  Every  kingdom  divided  against  itself  is  brought  to 
desolation;  and  a  house  divided  against  a  house  falleth.  18 
And  if  Satan  also  is  divided  against  himself,  how  shall  his 
kingdom  stand?  because  ye  say  that  I  cast  out  demons  by 
Beelzebub.  19  And  if  I  by  Beelzebub  cast  out  demons,  by 
whom  do  your  sons  cast  them  out?  therefore  shall  they  be 
your  judges.  20  But  if  I  by  the  finger  of  God  cast  out  demons, 
then  is  the  kingdom  of  God  come  upon  you.  21  When  the 
strong  man  fully  armed  guardeth  his  own  court,  his  goods 
are  in  peace:  22  but  when  a  stronger  than  he  shall  come 
upon  him,  and  overcome  him,  he  taketh  from  him  his  whole 
armor  wherein  he  trusted,  and  divideth  his  spoils.  23  He 
that  is  not  with  me  is  against  me ;  and  he  that  gathereth  not 
with  me  scattereth.  24  The  unclean  spirit  when  he  is  gone 
out  of  the  man,  passeth  through  waterless  places,  seeking 
rest;  and  finding  none,  he  saith,  I  will  turn  back  unto  my 
house  whence  I  came  out.  25  And  when  he  is  come,  he  find- 
eth  it  swept  and  garnished.  26  Then  goeth  he,  and  taketh 
to  him  seven  other  spirits  more  evil  than  himself;  and  they 
enter  in  and  dwell  there:  and  the  last  state  of  that  man  be- 
cometh  worse  than  the  first. 

27  And  it  came  to  pass,  as  he  said  these  things,  a  certain 
woman  out  of  the  multitude  lifted  up  her  voice,  and  said  unto 
him,  Blessed  is  the  womb  that  bare  thee,  and  the  breasts 
which  thou  didst  suck.  28  But  he  said,  Yea  rather,  blessed 
are  they  that  hear  the  word  of  God,  and  keep  it. 

29  And  when  the  multitudes  were  gathering  together  unto 


116    JOURNEYS  TOWARD  JERUSALEM   Luke  11:  30-36 

him,  he  began  to  say,  This  generation  is  an  evil  generation: 
it  seeketh  after  a  sign ;  and  there  shall  no  sign  be  given  to  it 
but  the  sign  of  Jonah.  30  For  even  as  Jonah  became  a  sign 
unto  the  Ninevites,  so  shall  also  the  Son  of  man  be  to  this 
generation.  31  The  queen  of  the  south  shall  rise  up  in  the 
judgment  with  the  men  of  this  generation,  and  shall  condemn 
them:  for  she  came  from  the  ends  of  the  earth  to  hear  the 
wisdom  of  Solomon;  and  behold,  a  greater  than  Solomon  is 
here.  32  The  men  of  Nineveh  shall  stand  up  in  the  judgment 
with  this  generation,  and  shall  condemn  it :  for  they  repented 
at  the  preaching  of  Jonah;  and  behold,  a  greater  than  Jonah 
is  here. 

33  No  man,  when  he  hath  lighted  a  lamp,  putteth  it  in  a 
cellar,  neither  under  the  bushel,  but  on  the  stand,  that  they 
which  enter  in  may  see  the  light.  34  The  lamp  of  thy  body 
is  thine  eye :  when  thine  eye  is  single,  thy  whole  body  also  is 
full  of  light;  but  when  it  is  evil,  thy  body  also  is  full  of  dark- 
ness. 35  Look  therefore  whether  the  light  that  is  in  thee  be 
not  darkness.  36  If  therefore  thy  whole  body  be  full  of  light, 
having  no  part  dark,  it  shall  be  wholly  full  of  light,  as  when 
the  lamp  with  its  bright  shining  doth  give  thee  light. 

The  first  of  these  two  discourses,  vs.  14-26,  was  given  by 
Jesus  in  reply  to  the  charge  that  he  wrought  his  miracles  by 
Satanic  power,  v.  15;  the  second,  vs.  29-36,  was  an  answer 
to  the  demand  that  he  should  compel  his  enemies  to  be- 
lieve in  him  by  giving  them  "a  sign  from  heaven,"   v.  16. 

Jesus  had  just  cast  out  a  demon.  His  enemies  did  not 
attempt  to  deny  that  a  miracle  had  been  performed;  but,  in 
order  to  discredit  him  with  the  people,  they  explained  the 
miracle  on  the  ground  that  Jesus  must  be  in  league  with  the 
Devil.  He  replied  by  showing  the  absurdity  of  suggesting 
that  the  Devil  was  casting  out  devils,  or  "demons,"  for  in 
that  case  his  power  would  be  like  a  kingdom  "divided 
against  itself"  and  so  certain  to  be  "brought  to  desolation," 
or  like  a  house  thus  divided  and  sure  to  fall.  Vs.  17,  18. 
He  then  turned  the  charge  against  themselves:  some  of 
their  countrymen  claimed  the  power  to  cast  out  demons; 
Jesus  did  not  discuss  the  reality  of  these  reputed  cures  but 
pointedly  asked  by  what  power  they  were  effected ;  is  it  also 
demonic  power?  v.  19.  Jesus  then  declared  definitely  that 
his  miracles  were  being  wrought  by  divine  power  and  that 
their  character  was  a  certain  proof  that  he  was  representing 


Luke  11: 30-36       THE  FIRST  STAGES  117 

not  the  kingdom  of  the  Devil  but  "the  kingdom  of  God." 
V.  20.  Instead  of  aiding  the  Devil,  he  was  despoiling  him. 
He  described  the  Devil  as  though  a  strong  man,  fully  armed 
and  guarding  his  goods,  but  Jesus  himself  was  a  "stronger 
than  he,"  and  was  taking  away  his  armor  and  delivering 
his  captives  by  miracles  of  grace.  Vs.  21,  22.  In  this  con- 
flict there  can  be  no  neutrality;  one  must  be  on  the  side 
either  of  the  Devil  or  of  Christ.  V.  23. 

Jesus  then  rebuked  his  enemies  by  the  parable  of  the 
Unclean  Spirit.  The  demon  of  unbelief  had  once  possessed 
the  Jews,  and  had  been  manifested  in  the  form  of  idolatry; 
it  had  been  cast  out,  but  it  had  returned  with  more  terrible 
manifestations  of  hypocrisy,  covetousness,  hatred,  fanati- 
cism, and  pride.  Such  had  been  the  fate  of  the  nation;  and 
such  is  the  experience  of  an  individual  who  turns  from  sin 
and  rebels  against  Satan  but  fails  to  accept  the  Lordship  of 
Christ.  The  empty  heart  is  in  peril.  Reformation  is  not 
regeneration.  One  must  beware  of  the  demon  of  unbelief. 
Vs.  24-26.  < 

At  this  juncture  a  "woman  out  of  the  multitude"  inter- 
rupted with  an  expression  of  congratulation  for  the  mother 
of  Jesus.  In  reply  Jesus  intimated  that  his  mother  might 
rightly  be  called  "blessed,"  but  that  the  woman  had 
missed  the  real  point ;  it  was  a  privilege  to  sustain  to  Christ 
such  a  close  human  and  natural  relationship,  but  better  far 
to  possess  that  spiritual  kinship  which  is  indicated  by  faith 
and  by  obedience  to  God.  Vs.  27,  28. 

Jesus  continued  to  rebuke  the  unbelief  of  the  Jews  as  he 
now  turned  to  answer  directly  the  demand  for  "a  sign  from 
heaven."  He  declared  that  such  a  sign  would  be  given, 
in  his  resurrection  from  the  dead.  This  miracle  would  be 
wrought  without  any  human  intervention;  it  would  be  a 
direct  act  of  God  and  would  fulfill  the  conditions  of  "a  sign 
from  heaven";  it  would  be  the  counterpart  of  the  miracu- 
lous deliverance  of  Jonah  from  the  sea.  However,  the  very 
demand  for  such  a  sign  was  an  impertinence  and  an  insult; 
it  reflected  discredit  upon  the  divine  character  of  the  mira- 
cles which  Jesus  had  already  wrought.  It  failed  to  recog- 
nize the  nature  of  his  teachings,  which  surpassed  the  wis- 
dom of  Solomon  and  the  startling  message  of  Jonah.     The 


1 18    JOURNEYS  TOWARD  JERUSALEM  Luke  1 1 :  37-49 

eagerness  of  the  heathen  queen  to  hear,  the  willingness  of 
the  Ninevites  to  repent,  rebuked  the  stubborn  unbelief  of 
the  Jews  who  refused  to  accept  "a  greater  than  Solomon," 
"a  greater  than  Jonah."  Vs.  29-32. 

Finally  Jesus  showed  that  their  guilty  unbelief  was  not 
due  to  lack  of  evidence  or  to  the  need  of  a  new  "sign,"  but 
to  their  indifference  and  their  impenitence.  As  a  lamp  is 
designed  to  light  a  house,  and  as  the  eye  is  intended  to  illu- 
mine the  body,  so  the  soul  which  is  right  with  God  possesses 
the  faculty  of  spiritual  sight.  This  sight  is  dimmed  and 
destroyed  by  sin.  The  inability  of  the  Jews  to  believe  was 
not  due  to  lack  of  "signs"  and  proofs,  but  to  lack  of  sight. 
No  amount  of  light  will  help  a  blind  man.  Those  who  turn 
to  Christ  in  repentance  and  faith  and  love  will  find  him  to 
be  the  Light  of  the  world,  and  their  whole  souls  will  become 
radiant  with  divine  splendor.   Vs.  33-36. 

8.  Pharisaism  Exposed  and  Denounced.     Ch.  11  :  37-54 

37  Now  as  he  spake,  a  Pharisee  askelh  him  to  dine  with 
him:  and  he  went  in,  and  sat  down  to  meat.  38  And  when 
the  Pharisee  saw  it,  he  marvelled  that  he  had  not  first  bathed 
himself  before  dinner.  39  And  the  Lord  said  unto  him,  Now 
ye  the  Pharisees  cleanse  the  outside  of  the  cup  and  of  the 
platter ;  but  your  inward  part  is  full  of  extortion  and  wicked- 
ness. 40  Ye  foolish  ones,  did  not  he  that  made  the  outside 
make  the  inside  also?  41  But  give  for  alms  those  things 
which  are  within;  and  behold,  all  things  are  clean  unto  you. 

42  But  woe  unto  you  Pharisees !  for  ye  tithe  mint  and  rue 
and  every  herb,  and  pass  over  justice  and  the  love  of  God: 
but  these  ought  ye  to  have  done,  and  not  to  leave  the  other 
undone.  43  Woe  unto  you  Pharisees!  for  ye  love  the  chief 
seats  in  the  synagogues,  and  the  salutations  in  the  market- 
places. 44  Woe  unto  you !  for  ye  are  as  the  tombs  which  ap- 
pear not,  and  the  men  that  walk  over  them  know  it  not. 

45  And  one  of  the  lawyers  answering  saith  unto  him, 
Teacher,  in  saying  this  thou  reproachest  us  also.  46  And  he 
said,  Woe  unto  you  lawyers  also !  for  ye  load  men  with  bur- 
dens grievous  to  be  borne,  and  ye  yourselves  touch  not  the 
burdens  with  one  of  your  fingers.  47  Woe  unto  you!  for  ye 
build  the  tombs  of  the  prophets,  and  your  fathers  killed  them. 
48  So  ye  are  witnesses  and  consent  unto  the  works  of  your 
fathers:  for  they  killed  them,  and  ye  build  their  tombs.    49 


Luke  11: 50-54       THE  FIRST  STAGES  119 

Therefore  also  said  the  wisdom  of  God,  I  will  send  unto 
them  prophets  and  apostles ;  and  some  of  mem  they  shall  kill 
and  persecute;  50  that  the  blood  of  all  the  prophets,  which 
was  shed  from  the  foundation  of  the  world,  may  be  required 
of  this  generation;  51  from  the  blood  of  Abel  unto  the  blood 
of  Zachariah,  who  perished  between  the  altar  and  the  sanctu- 
ary: yea,  I  say  unto  you,  it  shall  be  required  of  this  generation. 
52  Woe  unto  you  lawyers !  for  ye  took  away  the  key  of  knowl- 
edge :  ye  entered  not  in  yourselves,  and  them  that  were  enter- 
ing in  ye  hindered. 

53  And  when  he  was  come  out  from  thence,  the  scribes 
and  the  Pharisees  began  to  press  upon  him  vehemently,  and 
to  provoke  him  to  speak  of  many  things;  54  laying  wait  for 
him,  to  catch  something  out  of  his  mouth. 

The  conflict  between  Jesus  and  his  enemies  here  reached 
its  climax.  He  rebuked  their  hypocrisy,  and  pronounced 
upon  them  six  solemn  woes.  His  words  are  full  of  warning 
for  his  followers  in  all  ages;  religion  ever  tends  to  become 
a  matter  of  form  and  ritual ;  hypocrisy  is  often  unconscious; 
its  practice  is  almost  universal. 

A  Pharisee  whose  heart  was  foul  with  sinful  thoughts 
wondered  that  Jesus  had  sat  down  to  eat  without  first 
washing  his  hands  according  to  the  Jewish  ritual.  No 
such  ceremony  was  required  by  the  Law,  but  only  by  the 
traditions  upon  which  the  Pharisees  laid  such  stress.  Jesus 
declared  that  to  wash  the  body  while  the  heart  is  impure  is 
as  absurd  as  to  cleanse  the  outside  of  an  unclean  cup  or 
platter.  He  declared  that  God  who  made  the  body  created 
the  soul  also,  and  that  God  is  more  concerned  with  the  lat- 
ter than  with  the  former.  He  insisted  that  while  it  may  be 
well  to  wash  the  hands,  a  better  preparation  for  a  meal 
would  consist  in  filling  the  heart  with  love,  which  might  be 
expressed  in  gifts  to  the  poor.  It  was  much  more  impor- 
tant that  the  Pharisee  should  take  the  hatred  from  his 
heart,  than  that  Jesus  should  wash  his  hands.    Vs.  37-41. 

Hypocrisy,  however,  is  ever  concerned  with  external 
forms  while  disregarding  realities.  Therefore  Jesus  pro- 
nounced a  woe  upon  the  Pharisees  for  tithing  the  small 
garden  herbs  while  neglecting  justice  toward  men  and  love 
toward  God,  for  observing  some  minute  religious  rite  while 
breaking  all  the  Ten  Commandments.     Yet  he  did  not 


120    JOURNEYS  TOWARD  JERUSALEM  Luke  11 :  50-54 

condemn  them  for  caring  for  these  trifles,  but  for  neglecting 
things  essential.  "These  ought  ye  to  have  done,  and  not  to 
leave  the  other  undone."  V.  42.  Jesus  further  rebuked  the 
vanity  and  the  desire  for  prominence  and  public  recogni- 
tion which  is  at  once  a  mark  and  a  cloak  of  hypocrisy.  V.  43. 
He  further  compared  the  evil  influence  of  hypocrites  to  the 
defiling  contact  with  a  grave,  which  is  level  with  the  ground, 
upon  which  one  may  unconsciously  tread  and  so  become 
ceremonially  unclean.  Men  are  not  on  their  guard  against 
those  who  make  loud  boasts  of  religion.  V.  44. 

At  this  juncture  a  lawyer  interrupted  Jesus  with  the 
statement  that  these  severe  denunciations  seemed  to  in- 
clude him  and  his  associates.  It  was  true  that  most  law- 
yers were  Pharisees,  but  they  were  the  professional  teach- 
ers of  this  sect,  the  recognized  leaders  of  the  party ;  and  in 
denouncing  all  Pharisees  Jesus  seemed  to  include  even 
these  proud  expounders  of  the  Law.  Jesus  replied  that 
religious  teachers  who  are  insincere,  or  who  allow  their  re- 
ligion to  become  a  mere  matter  of  form,  are  most  of  all  to 
be  rebuked.  He  pronounced  upon  them  three  woes:  the 
first,  for  extracting  from  the  Law  minute  and  burdensome 
requirements  which  they  were  not  careful  to  observe  them- 
selves. It  is  a  grievous  fault  for  students  and  scholars  to 
make  religion  a  matter  of  weariness  and  distaste,  instead  of 
a  delight  to  the  common  people.   Vs.  45,  46. 

Secondly,  Jesus  rebuked  their  heartless  cruelty  and  fa- 
naticism. Teachers  of  religion  are  ever  tempted  to  become 
bitter  partisans,  and  even  to  have  a  share  in  killing  the  very 
prophets  and  apostles  of  God.  The  hatred  of  Jesus  shown 
by  his  enemies  was  like  that  of  their  fathers  who  had  killed 
the  divine  messengers  of  old.  The  blood  of  these  martyrs, 
from  the  first  to  the  last  mentioned  in  the  Hebrew  Bible 
was  yet  to  be  required  of  the  nation,  and  those  who  rejected 
Jesus  would  partake  in  the  judgment  as  they  were  partak- 
ers of  the  crime,  vs.  47-51. 

Lastly,  the  lawyers  were  rebuked  for  keeping  back  the 
knowledge  of  God,  by  their  false  interpretations  of  Scrip- 
ture and  their  disregard  of  the  real  spiritual  needs  of  the 
people.  Such  teachers  of  religion  are  like  men  who  hold 
the  key  to  a  sacred  temple ;  they  themselves  will  not  enter 


Luke  12:  1-12       THE  FIRST  STAGES  121 

and  they  keep  back  all  who  would.  It  is  a  solemn  respon- 
sibility to  be  a  professed  teacher  of  divine  truth;  and  to  be 
at  once  a  "lawyer"  and  a  "hypocrite,"  is  to  merit  these 
solemn  woes  which  fell  from  the  lips  of  Christ.  So  enraged 
were  his  hearers  that  they  threatened  him  with  physical 
violence.  Hypocrites  hate  to  be  exposed.  Wise  men  are 
glad  to  be  warned  and  to  repent  before  it  is  too  late.  He 
who  spoke  these  bitter  words  of  rebuke  is  ready  to  pardon 
and  to  purify  and  to  lead  his  followers  in  the  paths  of  serv- 
ice and  of  peace.  Vs.  52-54. 

9.  Faithful  Testimony  Encouraged.     Ch.  12  :  1-12 

1  In  the  mean  time,  when  the  many  thousands  of  the  mul- 
titude were  gathered  together,  insomuch  that  they  trod  one 
upon  another,  he  began  to  say  unto  his  disciples  first  of  all, 
Beware  ye  of  the  leaven  of  the  Pharisees,  which  is  hypocrisy. 
2  But  there  is  nothing  covered  up,  that  shall  not  be  revealed ; 
and  hid,  that  shall  not  be  known.  3  Wherefore  whatsoever 
ye  have  said  in  the  darkness  shall  be  heard  in  the  light;  and 
what  ye  have  spoken  in  the  ear  in  the  inner  chambers  shall 
be  proclaimed  upon  the  housetops.  4  And  I  say  unto  you 
my  friends,  Be  not  afrad  of  them  that  kill  the  body,  and 
after  that  have  no  more  that  they  can  do.  5  But  I  will  warn 
you  whom  ye  shall  fear :  Fear  him,  who  after  he  hath  killed 
hath  power  to  cast  into  hell;  yea,  I  say  unto  you,  Fear  him. 
6  Are  not  five  sparrows  sold  for  two  pence?  and  not  one  of 
them  is  forgotten  in  the  sight  of  God.  7  But  the  very  hairs 
of  your  head  are  all  numbered.  Fear  not:  ye  are  of  more 
value  than  many  sparrows.  8  And  I  say  unto  you,  Every  one 
who  shall  confess  me  before  men,  him  shall  the  Son  of  man 
also  confess  before  the  angels  of  God:  but  he  that  denieth 
me  in  the  presence  of  men  shall  be  denied  in  the  presence  of 
he  angels  of  God.  10  And  every  one  who  shall  speak  a  word 
against  the  Son  of  man,  it  shall  be  forgiven  him:  but  unto 
him  that  blasphemeth  against  the  Holy  Spirit  it  shall  not  be 
forgiven.  1 1  And  when  they  bring  you  before  the  synagogues, 
and  the  rulers,  and  the  authorities,  be  not  anxious  how  or 
what  ye  shall  answer,  or  what  ye  shall  say:  12  for  the  Holy 
Spirit  shall  teach  you  in  that  very  hour  what  ye  ought  to  say. 

When  Jesus  had  bitterly  rebuked  the  public  religious 
teachers  of  his  day  he  turned  to  his  disciples  and  spoke 
words  of  cheer  which  have  strengthened  his  followers  in  all 
days.     Such  encouragement  was  needed;  the  bitter  hatred 


122     JOURNEYS  TOWARD  JERUSALEM  Luke  12: 1-12 

of  his  enemies  now  threatened  the  life  of  Jesus,  and  made  it 
evident  that  his  disciples  could  expect  no  kinder  treatment 
than  their  Lord.  Then,  too,  Jesus  had  shown  the  special 
guilt  of  those  who  professed  to  be  guides  in  matters  of  re- 
ligion; his  disciples  therefore  needed  courage  to  continue 
their  public  witness  both  because  of  the  great  responsibility 
involved  and  because  it  would  bring  upon  them  the  hatred 
of  men.  He  encouraged  them,  first,  by  the  assurance  that 
the  corrupting  influence  of  the  Pharisees  would  come  to  an 
end;  their  hypocrisy  would  be  mercilessly  unmasked;  their 
power  would  cease ;  while  on  the  other  hand  the  witness  of 
the  disciples  would  not  always  be  confined  to  places  of  ob- 
scurity but  would  be  heard  in  all  the  world.  Vs.  1-3.  How 
truly  has  this  prophecy  been  fulfilled !  Compare  the  pres- 
ent influence  of  Hillel  or  Gamaliel  with  that  of  Peter  or 
John.  No  one  can  measure  the  power  for  good  possessed 
by  the  humblest  witness  for  Christ. 

Jesus  further  encouraged  his  disciples  by  assuring  them 
of  the  loving  care  of  God.  They  should  look  to  him  in  rev- 
erent trust;  this  would  give  confidence  and  strength  and 
free  them  from  the  fear  of  man.  Their  enemies  could  harm 
only  the  body;  God  controls  the  eternal  destiny  of  souls, 
and  to  him  even  the  body  is  precious,  and  he  is  concerned 
with  the  most  minute  details  of  our  lives.  If  he  notes  the 
fall  of  a  sparrow,  he  must  know  the  peril  and  need  of  every 
one  who  is  testifying  for  his  Son.   Vs.  4-7. 

Then  again  for  faithful  witnesses  there  remain  great 
rewards,  in  spite  of  what  they  now  may  suffer  from 
men.  As  they  now  acknowledge  Jesus  Christ  as  Saviour 
and  Lord,  so  in  the  glories  of  heaven  he  will  acknowledge 
them  as  his  true  and  loyal  warriors  who  merit  and  will  share 
the  blessedness  of  his  triumphant  reign.  Vs.  8,  9.  On  the 
other  hand,  those  who  blaspheme  his  name  by  ascribing  his 
power  to  a  Satanic  source,  ch.  11  :  15,  will  be  regarded  as 
guilty  of  an  unpardonable  sin.  This  would  not  apply  to 
such  as  in  ignorance  rejected  Jesus,  but  to  those  who  had 
full  opportunity  of  knowing  him,  and  who  then  scoffed  at 
his  claims  and  maliciously  insulted  his  divine  Person,  and 
made  of  him  an  impostor  and  associated  him  with  the 
powers  of  evil.   V.  10. 


Luke  12: 13-21       THE  FIRST  STAGES  123 

Last  of  all,  in  spite  of  opposition  and  threats  of  all  the 
earthly  powers,  and  in  the  presence  of  the  most  imposing 
tribunals,  the  witnesses  of  Jesus  never  need  fear,  and  must 
never  allow  themselves  to  be  silenced.  The  Holy  Spirit, 
whom  their  enemies  opposed  and  blasphemed,  would  speak 
through  them ;  he  would  teach  them  both  how  and  what  to 
say,  vs.  11,  12.  This  promise  was  not  designed  to  encourage 
indolence  or  lack  of  possible  preparation,  but  to  assure 
the  Christian  witness  that  a  divine  Presence  would  ever 
give  him  needed  wisdom  and  strength  and  grace. 

It  is  a  grave  responsibility  to  testify  for  Christ,  but  it  is 
the  duty  of  everyone  who  bears  his  name ;  and  in  this  serv- 
ice he  can  be  assured  that  the  influence  will  be  measure- 
less, the  protection  unfailing,  the  reward  heavenly,  the  sus- 
taining grace  divine. 

10.  A  Warning  Against  Covetousness.     Ch.  12  :  13-21 

13  And  one  out  of  the  multitude  said  unto  him,  Teacher, 
bid  my  brother  divide  the  inheritance  with  me.  14  But  he 
said  unto  him,  Man,  who  made  me  a  judge  or  a  divider  over 
you?  15  And  he  said  unto  them,  Take  heed,  and  keep  your- 
selves from  all  covetousnes  :  for  a  man's  life  consisteth  not 
in  the  abundance  of  the  things  which  he  possesseth.  16  And 
he  spake  a  parable  unto  them,  saying,  The  ground  of  a  cer- 
tain rich  man  brought  forth  plentifully:  17  and  he  reasoned 
within  himself,  saying,  What  shall  I  do,  because  I  have  not 
where  to  bestow  my  fruits?  18  And  he  said,  This  will  I  do: 
I  will  pull  down  my  barns,  and  build  greater;  and  there  will 
I  bestow  all  my  grain  and  my  goods.  19  And  I  will  say  to 
my  soul,  Soul,  thou  hast  much  goods  laid  up  for  many  years; 
take  thine  ease,  eat,  drink,  be  merry  20  But  God  said  unto 
him,  Thou  foolish  one,  this  night  is  thy  soul  required  of  thee; 
and  the  things  which  thou  hast  prepared,  whose  shall  they 
be?  21  So  is  he  that  layeth  up  treasure  for  himself,  and  is 
not  rich  toward  God. 

The  parable  of  the  Rich  Fool  was  related  by  our  Lord  to 
teach  that  riches  neither  form  the  real  content  nor  assure 
the  continuance  of  life,  so  that  it  is  the  sheerest  folly  to  seek 
for  gold  while  forgetting  God. 

A  man  had  come  to  Tesus  with  the  request,  "Teacher,  bid 
my  brother  divide  the  inheritance  with  me."     The  reply 


124    JOURNEYS  TOWARD  JERUSALEM  Luke  12:  13-21 

implied  that  the  Master  regarded  his  work  as  spiritual,  and 
that  he  was  not  willing  to  invade  the  sphere  of  civil  law  or 
to  usurp  the  place  of  regularly  appointed  authorities, 
"Man,  who  made  me  a  judge  or  a  divider  over  you?" 

Possibly  this  reply  contains  a  message  for  the  modern 
day  and  warns  us  against  confusing  the  functions  of  the 
Church  with  those  of  the  State.  The  sphere  of  the  Church 
is  spiritual,  and  its  province  is  not  to  determine  questions 
which  are  commercial  and  political.  The  Church,  how- 
ever, does  provide  and  inculcate  principles  which  are  in- 
volved in  all  moral  questions  and  which  determine  justice 
and  right  in  every  sphere  of  human  life.  Thus  Jesus  re- 
fused to  "divide  the  inheritance,"  but  he  pierced  to  the 
root  of  the  request  and  saw  that  the  man  was  neglecting 
the  civil  law  and  seeking  the  support  of  a  religious  teacher 
because  he  was  moved  by  avarice;  and  it  is  this  same 
"love  of  money"  which  lies  at  the  root  of  most  of  the 
injustice  and  inequity  and  cruelty  which  burden  the  world 
to-day. 

Therefore  Jesus  turned  to  the  multitude' with  the  warn- 
ing: "Take  heed,  and  keep  yourselves  from  all  covetous- 
ness:  for  a  man's  life  consisteth  not  in  the  abundance  of  the 
things  which  he  possesseth."  To  enforce  his  message 
Jesus  told  the  story  of  the  rich  man  who  was  heaping  up 
goods  for  selfish  enjoyment  in  future  years,  and  who  was 
suddenly  confronted  by  the  necessity  which  death  brings 
of  leaving  to  others  all  that  he  had  amassed.  His  foolish- 
ness consisted  in  forgetting  that  fortune  and  life  itself  are 
dependent  upon  the  will  of  God,  and  that  a  man  really 
owns  nothing  but  owes  everything  to  God,  and  that  the 
real  value  of  life  consists  in  the  unselfish  use  of  wealth  and 
of  opportunity  according  to  the  will  of  God.  How  his  vain 
words,  "my  fruits,"  "my  barns,"  "my  grains,"  "my  goods," 
"my  soul,"  are  contrasted  with  the  solemn  message:  "This 
night  is  thy  soul  required  of  thee." 

"So  is  he,"  continued  Jesus,  "that  layeth  up  treasure  for 
himself,  and  is  not  rich  toward  God."  It  is  the  sheerest 
folly  to  forget  that  riches  neither  form  the  real  content  nor 
assure  the  continuance  of  life;  it  is  madness  to  heap  up 
goods  while  neglecting  God. 


Luke  12:22-34       THE  FIRST  STAGES  125 

11.  The  Cure  of  Anxiety.     Ch.  12  :  22-34 

22  And  he  said  unto  his  disciples,  Therefore  I  say  unto 
you,  Be  not  anxious  for  your  life,  what  ye  shall  eat;  nor  yet 
for  your  body,  what  ye  shall  put  on.  23  For  the  life  is  more 
than  the  food,  and  the  body  than  the  raiment.  24  Consider 
the  ravens,  that  they  sow  not,  neither  reap;  which  have  no 
store-chamber  nor  barn ;  and  God  f  eedeth  them :  of  how  much 
more  value  are  ye  than  the  birds !  25  And  which  of  you  by 
being  anxious  can  add  a  cubit  unto  the  measure  of  his  life? 
26  If  then  ye  are  not  able  to  do  even  that  which  is  least,  why 
are  ye  anxious  concerning  the  rest?  27  Consider  the  lilies, 
how  they  grow:  they  toil  not,  neither  do  they  spin;  yet  I  say 
unto  you,  Even  Solomon  in  all  his  glory  was  not  arrayed  like 
one  of  these.  28  But  if  God  doth  so  clothe  the  grass  in  the 
field,  which  to-day  is  and  to-morrow  is  cast  into  the  oven; 
how  much  more  shall  he  clothe  you,  O  ye  of  little  faith?  29 
And  seek  not  ye  what  ye  shall  eat,  and  what  ye  shall  drink, 
neither  be  ye  of  doubtful  mind.  30  For  all  these  things  do  the 
nations  of  the  world  seek  after :  but  your  Father  knoweth  that 
ye  have  need  of  these  things.  31  Yet  seek  ye  his  kingdom, 
and  these  things  shall  be  added  unto  you.  32  Fear  not, 
little  flock;  for  it  is  your  Father's  good  pleasure  to  give  you 
the  kingdom.  33  Sell  that  which  ye  have,  and  give  alms; 
make  for  yourselves  purses  which  wax  not  old,  a  treasure  in 
the  heavens  that  faileth  not,  where  no  thief  draweth  near, 
neither  moth  destroyeth.  34  For  where  your  treasure  is, 
there  will  your  heart  be  also. 

In  addressing  the  crowds  Jesus  warned  them  against 
covetousness  by  speaking  to  them  the  parable  of  the  Fool- 
ish Rich  Man  who  trusted  in  his  goods  and  forgot  God;  he 
now  turned  to  his  disciples  to  urge  them  to  forget  their 
worries  by  trust  in  God.  While  a  Christian  must  not  be 
selfishly  absorbed  in  amassing  wealth,  he  need  not  be  anx- 
ious about  even  the  necessities  of  life.  The  reason  is  that 
"the  life  is  more  than  the  food,  and  the  body  than  the  rai- 
ment," and  therefore  God  who  gave  life  and  made  the  body 
will  surely  provide  food  and  clothing;  he  who  did  the  greater 
will  not  fail  to  do  the  less. 

For  an  example  of  such  providential  care  Jesus  points 
to  the  birds:  without  the  "fruits"  and  the  "barns"  and  the 
"goods,"  which  failed  to  prolong  the  life  of  the  rich  man, 
the  ravens  continue  to  live;  "God  feedeth  them:  of  how 


126     JOURNEYS  TOWARD  JERUSALEM  Luke  12 :  35-39 

much  more  value  are  ye  than  the  birds !"  Of  course  we  are 
to  be  diligent  and  industrious  and  to  exercise  thrift  and 
foresight;  but  we  are  not  to  be  anxious.  Worry  will  not 
prolong  life;  on  the  other  hand,  it  is  worry  and  not  work 
that  kills.  Therefore,  if  anxiety  shortens  life,  it  surely 
will  not  supply  the  necessities  of  life;  trust  God  for  food. 
Vs.  24-26. 

So,  too,  as  for  clothing;  if  God  robes  in  such  beautiful 
colors  the  perishable  flowers  of  the  field,  will  he  not  provide 
garments  for  his  own  children?  To  be  anxious  about  these 
necessities  is  to  imitate  the  heathen  who  know  nothing  of 
God's  providential  care.  We  show  ourselves  to  be  his 
children  by  our  trust  in  him.   Vs.  27-30. 

However,  while  we  are  not  to  be  absorbed  in  seeking 
wealth,  as  the  foolish  rich  man,  or  to  be  anxious  about  food 
and  raiment,  as  are  men  of  the  world,  there  is  something 
about  which  we  should  feel  a  deep  concern,  and  that  is  the 
Kingdom  of  God.  If  we  seek  and  labor  for  its  coming,  we 
can  be  sure  that  our  Father  will  supply  our  temporal  needs. 
Even  though  at  times  we  may  be  in  peril  and  in  want,  we 
can  be  certain  that  we  are  to  share  at  last  the  blessedness  of 
that  Kingdom.  Vs.  31,  32.  Therefore  we  should  not  be 
absorbed  in  gathering  the  goods  that  perish,  but  by  deeds  of 
sacrifice  and  works  of  charity,  inspired  by  gratitude  to  God 
and  love  to  men,  we  are  to  lay  up  "treasure  in  the  heavens" 
which  will  never  be  stolen  or  destroyed;  and  as  the  heart 
always  follows  its  treasure,  our  thoughts  will  be  turned 
upward  toward  God ;  trust  in  his  power  and  love  will  banish 
our  anxiety  and  free  us  from  care.  Vs.  33,  34. 

12.  An  Exhortation  to  Watchfulness.     Ch.  12  :  35-48 

35  Let  your  loins  be  girded  about,  and  your  lamps  burning; 

36  and  be  ye  yourselves  like  unto  men  looking  for  their  lord, 
when  he  shall  return  from  the  marriage  feast;  that,  when  he 
cometh  and  knocketh,  they  may  straightway  open  unto  him. 

37  Blessed  are  those  servants,  whom  the  lord  when  he 
cometh  shall  find  watching:  verily  I  say  unto  you,  that  he 
shall  gird  himself,  and  make  them  sit  down  to  meat,  and 
shall  come  and  serve  them.  38  And  if  he  shall  come  in  the 
second  watch,  and  if  in  the  third,  and  find  them  so,  blessed 
are  those  servants.     39  But  know  this,  that  if  the  master  of 


Luke  12:40-48       THE  FIRST  STAGES  127 

the  house  had  known  in  what  hour  the  thief  was  coming,  he 
would  have  watched,  and  not  have  left  his  house  to  be  broken 
through.  40  Be  ye  also  ready:  for  in  an  hour  that  ye  think 
not  the  Son  of  man  cometh. 

41  And  Peter  said,  Lord,  speakest  thou  this  parable  unto 
us,  or  even  unto  all?  42  And  the  Lord  said,  Who  then  is  the 
faithful  and  wise  steward,  whom  his  lord  shall  set  over  his 
household,  to  give  them  their  portion  of  food  in  due  season? 
43  Blessed  is  that  servant,  whom  his  lord  when  he  cometh 
shall  find  so  doing.  44  Of  a  truth  I  say  unto  you,  that  he 
will  set  him  over  all  that  he  hath.  45  But  if  that  servant  shall 
say  in  his  heart,  My  lord  delayeth  his  coming ;  and  shall  begin 
to  beat  the  menservants  and  the  maidservants,  and  to  eat  and 
drink,  and  to  be  drunken;  46  the  lord  of  that  servant  shall 
come  in  a  day  when  he  expecteth  not,  and  in  an  hour  when  he 
knoweth  not,  and  shall  cut  him  asunder,  and  appoint  his  por- 
tion with  the  unfaithful.  47  And  that  servant,  who  knew  his 
lord's  will,  and  made  not  ready,  nor  did  according  to  his  will, 
shall  be  beaten  with  many  stripes;  48  but  he  that  knew  not, 
and  did  things  worthy  of  stripes,  shall  be  beaten  with  few 
stripes.  And  to  whomsoever  much  is  given,  of  him  shall 
much  be  required:  and  to  whom  they  commit  much,  of  him 
will  they  ask  the  more. 

Our  Lord  had  been  warning  his  disciples  against  allowing 
their  minds  to  be  absorbed  in  the  selfish  acquisition  of 
wealth,  and  against  being  anxious  about  needed  food  and 
clothing;  they  were  to  be  supremely  concerned  about  his 
Kingdom  which  would  appear  in  glory  at  the  time  of  his 
return.  As  to  the  events  preceding  this  return,  as  to  its 
circumstances  and  results,  he  taught  them  more  definitely 
just  before  his  death;  here  he  simply  enjoined  upon  them 
the  attitude  of  watchfulness,  implying  that  if  his  coming 
was  occupying  their  thoughts  they  would  be  kept  at  once 
from  worldliness  and  from  worry,  and  would  be  diligent  in 
serving  him. 

He  illustrated  this  attitude  of  heart  and  mind  by  two 
parables,  the  parable  of  the  Returning  Lord  and  the  par- 
able of  the  Thief.  In  the  former,  the  master  has  been  at- 
tending a  marriage,  his  servants  are  awake  and  clothed,  the 
house  is  lighted,  and  all  are  ready  to  receive  him.  So  de- 
lighted is  he  on  his  arrival  to  find  them  faithful  that  he  is 
ready  to  give  any  expression  to  his  joy ;  he  even  is  willing  to 


128    JOURNEYS  TOWARD  JERUSALEM  Luke  12:40-48 

cause  them  to  sit  down  and  to  partake  of  the  banquet  they 
have  prepared  for  him. 

The  second  parable  illustrates  the  truth  that  as  the  time 
when  a  thief  will  come  is  unknown,  therefore  the  only  way 
to  act  is  to  be  ready  at  all  times  for  his  approach ;  therefore, 
our  Saviour  added,  "Be  ye  also  ready:  for  in  an  hour  that 
ye  think  not  the  Son  of  man  cometh." 

The  Master  here  as  elsewhere  indicated  that  his  return 
was  to  be  delayed ;  his  absence  was  to  be  like  a  long  night ; 
much  must  transpire,  much  be  done  before  he  would  reap- 
pear, but  his  followers  must  ever  be  prepared  for  his  return. 
This  did  not  mean  that  they  were  to  be  nervously  expectant 
nor  were  they  to  be  saying  that  the  day  of  his  coming  was 
just  at  hand;  rather  they  were  to  be  at  their  places  of  duty, 
faithfully  performing  their  tasks,  and  absorbed  in  the  work 
which  the  Master  had  given  them  to  do. 

This  attitude  of  watchfulness,  and  of  interest  in  the  re- 
turn of  Christ,  should  particularly  characterize  teachers 
and  leaders.  This  is  the  force  of  the  question  which  Peter 
now  asked.  He  inquired  whether  all  believers  would  share 
equally  in  the  blessings  of  the  Lord's  return;  would  not 
those,  like  the  apostles,  who  had  been  most  prominent  in 
his  service  receive  from  him  a  greater  reward?  Jesus  re- 
plied that  larger  privileges  imply  greater  temptations  and 
greater  responsibilities.  If  a  Christian  minister  has  been 
faithful  in  feeding  his  people  with  spiritual  food,  he  will  be 
rewarded  with  even  higher  opportunities  for  service;  but  if 
the  long  delay  of  his  Lord's  return  shall  make  him  forgetful 
and  unmindful  of  its  reality,  if  he  shall  use  his  high  position 
selfishly  or  shall  use  his  power  unkindly,  then  when  the 
Master  appears  he  will  be  punished  with  the  utmost  sever- 

ity- 

The  chief  advantage  of  a  religious  leader  lies  in  his  op- 
portunity for  knowing  more  fully  the  teachings  of  Christ; 
his  superior  knowledge,  therefore,  will  be  the  ground  of  his 
more  terrible  punishment  in  case  of  unfaithfulness;  the 
principle  is  abiding  and  applies  in  every  sphere.  "To 
whomsoever  much  is  given,  of  him  shall  much  be  required." 

Thus  Christ  taught  that  in  the  future  there  will  be  de- 
grees and  gradations  both  of  punishments  and  rewards. 


Luke  12:49-59        THE  FIRST  STAGES  129 

13.    The  Divisive  Influence  of  Christ.     Ch.  12  :  49-59 

49  I  came  to  cast  fire  upon  the  earth;  and  what  do  I  des  re, 
if  it  is  already  kindled?  50  But  I  have  a  baptism  to  be  bap- 
tized with;  and  how  am  I  straitened  till  it  be  accomplished! 
51  Think  ye  that  I  come  to  give  peace  in  the  earth?  I  tell 
you,  Nay;  but  rather  division:  52  for  there  shall  be  from 
henceforth  five  in  one  house  divided,  three  against  two,  and 
two  against  three.  53  They  shall  be  divided,  father  against 
son,  and  son  against  father;  mother  against  daughter,  and 
daughter  against  her  mother;  mother  in  law  against  her 
daughter  in  law,  and  daughter  in  law  against  her  mother  in 
law. 

54  And  he  said  to  the  multitudes  also,  When  ye  see  a  cloud 
rising  in  the  west,  straightway  ye  say,  There  cometh  a  shower ; 
and  so  it  cometh  to  pass.  55  And  when  ye  see  a  south  wind 
blowing,  ye  say,  There  will  be  a  scorching  heat;  and  it  cometh 
to  pass.  56  Ye  hypocrites,  ye  know  how  to  interpret  the  face 
of  the  earth  and  the  heaven ;  but  how  is  it  that  ye  know  not 
how  to  interpret  this  time?  57  And  why  even  of  yourselves 
judge  ye  not  what  is  right?  58  For  as  thou  art  going  with 
thine  adversary  before  the  magistrate,  on  the  way  give  dili- 
gence to  be  quit  of  him;  lest  haply  he  drag  thee  unto  the  judge, 
and  the  judge  shall  deliver  thee  to  the  officer,  and  the  officer 
shall  cast  thee  into  prison.  59  I  say  unto  thee,  Thou  shalt 
by  no  means  come  out  thence,  till  thou  have  paid  the  very 
last  mite. 

Jesus  had  been  warning  the  crowds  against  the  peril  of 
selfish  enjoyment  and  urging  his  followers  to  watch  and  to 
labor  for  his  return  and  his  Kingdom;  but  he  did  not  want 
them  to  be  deceived  and  to  suppose  that  this  Kingdom 
could  be  established  without  conflict  and  delay.  The 
present  age  was  to  be  one  of  strife  and  division,  and  the 
Master  himself  was  to  be  their  innocent  cause.  Some  day 
he  would  return  to  bring  justice  and  holiness  and  righteous- 
ness to  complete  victory,  and  then  he  would  be  indeed  the 
Prince  of  peace. 

Now,  however,  his  coming  into  the  world  had  cast  upon 
the  earth  the  burning  brand  of  division  and  strife.  This 
was  so  inevitable  that  Jesus  had  no  regret  that  the  fire  was 
already  kindled ;  but  it  would  not  burst  into  a  conflagration 
until  Jesus  had  been  crucified,  and  he  felt  a  pathetic  impa- 
tience to  have  that  dreadful  experience  accomplished.    As 


130       JOURNEYS  TOWARD  JERUSALEM     Luke  13: 1-9 

Jesus  emerged  from  that  baptism  of  fire  he  would  be  the 
torch  which  would  set  the  world  ablaze  with  conflict  and 
separation.  This  division  would  occur  even  in  a  home 
circle  of  five:  father  and  mother  would  be  divided  against 
son  and  daughter  and  daughter-in-law. 

Thus  Christ,  and  specifically  his  cross,  is  now  dividing 
the  world.  Happy  are  those  who  interpret  his  message  and 
understand  his  mission  and  turn  to  him  in  repentance  and 
faith! 

The  multitudes,  however,  were  still  unbelieving,  and 
Jesus  rebuked  their  stupid  ignorance.  He  declared  that 
they  could  so  interpret  the  signs  of  weather  as  to  predict 
correctly  rain  or  drought,  but  they  could  not  see  in  his 
words  and  works  the  proofs  that  he  was  the  Christ,  the 
Saviour  of  the  world.  However,  he  warned  them  to  re- 
pent before  it  was  too  late.  They  would  have  wisdom 
enough  to  agree  with  an  adversary  while  on  the  way  to  a 
courtroom  before  sentence  had  been  pronounced,  much 
more  should  they  see  that  it  was  the  part  of  wisdom  to 
seek  peace  with  God  before  the  day  of  mercy  and  grace  had 
passed. 

14.  A  Call  to  Repentance.     Ch.  13  :  1-9 

1  Now  there  were  some  present  at  that  very  season  who 
told  him  of  the  Galilseans,  whose  blood  Pilate  had  mingled 
with  their  sacrifices.  2  And  he  answered  and  said  unto  them, 
Think  ye  that  these  Galilaeans  were  sinners  above  all  the  Gal- 
ilaeans,  because  they  have  suffered  these  things?  3  I  tell 
you,  Nay:  but,  except  ye  repent,  ye  shall  all  in  like  manner 
perish.  4  Or  those  eighteen,  upon  whom  the  tower  in  Siloam 
fell,  and  killed  them,  mink  ye  that  they  were  offenders  above 
all  the  men  that  dwell  in  Jerusalem?  5  I  tell  you,  Nay:  but, 
except  ye  repent,  ye  shall  all  likewise  perish. 

6  And  he  spake  this  parable;  A  certain  man  had  a  fig  tree 
planted  in  his  vineyard;  and  he  came  seeking  fruit  thereon, 
and  found  none.  7  And  he  said  unto  the  vinedresser,  Be- 
hold, these  three  years  I  come  seeking  fruit  on  this  fig  tree, 
and  find  none:  cut  it  down;  why  doth  it  also  cumber  the 
ground?  8  And  he  answering  said  unto  him,  Lord,  let  it 
alone  this  year  also,  till  I  shall  dig  about  it,  and  dung  it:  9 
and  if  it  bear  fruit  thenceforth,  well;  but  if  not,  thou  shalt  cut 
it  down. 


Luke  13: 10-14       THE  FIRST  STAGES  131 

At  the  very  time  when  Jesus  was  urging  upon  his  hearers 
their  need  of  repentance,  a  report  was  made  of  a  cruel 
slaughter  of  Galilaeans  at  the  hand  of  Pilate.  It  was  ex- 
pected that  Jesus  would  declare  the  poor  sufferers  to  have 
merited  their  fate,  and  that  he  would  fall  into  the  common 
fallacy  of  supposing  that  exceptional  suffering  is  a  proof  of 
exceptional  guilt  on  the  part  of  men.  Jesus,  however,  re- 
plied that  temporary  exemption  from  suffering  is  a  mark 
of  special  grace  on  the  part  of  God.  All  impenitent  men 
are  certain  to  suffer,  and  deserve  to  suffer;  if  judgment  has 
not  fallen  the  delay  should  be  regarded  as  a  merciful  op- 
portunity to  repent. 

Jesus  enforced  the  same  truth  by  referring  to  a  recent 
calamity  in  which  eighteen  men  had  been  crushed  by  the 
fall  of  a  tower.  Their  fate  was  not  to  be  regarded  as  a  sign 
of  their  special  sinfulness,  but  as  a  warning  to  others  that 
they  would  likewise  suffer  unless  they  repented  of  their 
sins. 

The  Master  had  in  mind  the  entire  Jewish  nation  and 
he  further  enforced  his  call  to  repentance  by  the  parable 
of  the  Fruitless  Fig  Tree.  This  was  a  true  type  of  Israel, 
but  also  a  symbol  of  every  impenitent  soul.  God  merci- 
fully preserves  and  blesses  and  spares,  but  the  day  of  mercy 
will  end.  The  nation,  as  the  individual,  which  produces 
no  fruit  of  penitence  and  of  righteousness  is  certain  to  be 
cut  down.  While  the  opportunity  is  given,  repentance 
must  be  shown.  "Now  is  the  acceptable  time;  .  .  .  now 
is  a  day  of  salvation." 

15.  A  Cure  on  the  Sabbath.     Ch.  13  :  10-21 

10  And  he  was  teaching  in  one  of  the  synagogues  on  the 
sabbath  day.  11  And  behold,  a  woman  that  had  a  spirit  of 
infirmity  eighteen  years:  and  she  was  bowed  together,  and 
could  in  no  wise  lift  herself  up.  12  And  when  Jesus  saw  her, 
he  called  her,  and  said  to  her,  Woman,  thou  art  loosed  from 
thine  infirmity.  13  And  he  laid  his  hands  upon  her:  and  im- 
mediately she  was  made  straight,  and  glorified  God.  14 
And  the  ruler  of  the  synagogue,  being  moved  with  indigna- 
tion because  Jesus  had  healed  on  the  sabbath,  answered  and 
said  to  the  multitude,  There  are  six  days  in  which  men  ought 
to  work:  in  them  therefore,  come  and  be  healed,  and  not  on 


132    JOURNEYS  TOWARD  JERUSALEM   Luke  13: 15-21 

the  day  of  the  sabbath.  15  But  the  Lord  answered  him,  and 
said,  Ye  hypocrites,  doth  not  each  one  of  you  on  the  sabbath 
loose  his  ox  or  his  ass  from  the  stall,  and  lead  him  away  to 
watering?  16  And  ought  not  this  woman,  being  a  daughter 
of  Abraham,  whom  Satan  had  bound,  lo,  these  eighteen 
years,  to  have  been  loosed  from  this  bond  on  the  day  of  the 
sabbath?  17  And  as  he  said  these  things,  all  his  adversaries 
were  put  to  shame :  and  all  the  multitude  rejoiced  for  all  the 
glorious  things  that  were  done  by  him. 

18  He  said  therefore,  Unto  what  is  the  kingdom  of  God 
like?  and  whereunto  shall  I  liken  it?  19  It  is  like  unto  a  grain 
of  mustard  seed,  which  a  man  took,  and  cast  into  his  own  gar- 
den; and  it  grew,  and  became  a  tree;  and  the  birds  of  the 
heaven  lodged  in  the  branches  thereof. 

20  And  again  he  said,  Where  unto  shall  I  liken  the  king- 
dom of  God?  21  It  is  like  unto  leaven,  which  a  woman  took 
and  hid  in  three  measures  of  meal,  till  it  was  all  leavened. 

A  true  follower  of  Christ  will  worship  in  public  on  the 
Sabbath  Day,  for  this  was  the  custom  of  our  Lord.  On 
one  of  these  days  he  found  occasion  to  reveal  his  sympathy 
and  power  by  releasing  a  poor  woman  who  for  eighteen 
years  had  been  bound  by  "a  spirit  of  infirmity, "  just  as  on 
such  occasions  his  word  to-day  brings  deliverance  to  souls 
bound  by  the  power  of  sin. 

It  was  his  sympathy  which  prompted  this  act  and  fur- 
ther led  him  to  relieve  the  consciences  of  his  hearers  from 
the  burden  of  traditions  placed  upon  them  by  false  inter- 
pretations of  the  Law.  When  the  ruler  of  the  synagogue 
criticized  Jesus,  by  addressing  those  whom  the  woman 
represented,  on  the  ground  that  such  healing  broke  the 
law  of  Sabbath  rest,  his  hypocrisy  and  that  of  his  sympa- 
thizers was  unmasked  by  the  reply  that  where  self-interest 
prompted,  they  interpreted  the  Law  so  liberally  as  to  allow 
them  on  the  Sabbath  to  loose  their  cattle  which  had  been 
bound  but  a  few  hours,  while  they  refused  to  allow  Jesus 
to  relieve  a  daughter  of  Abraham  whom  Satan  had  bound 
for  years.  They  were  pretending  to  be  zealous  for  the  Law 
while  denying  its  essential  principle  of  love.  Their  real 
breach  of  the  Law  was  shown  both  by  their  lack  of  sym- 
pathy for  the  woman  and  their  hatred  of  Christ.  Their 
interpretation  of  the  Law  was  shown  to  be  absurd,   for  it 


Luke  13: 22-30       THE  SECOND  STAGES  133 

prevented  an  act  of  mercy  which,  on  the  Sabbath,  was  not 
only  allowable  but  necessary.  Jesus  never  intimated  that 
he  would  abolish  the  Sabbath;  he  only  designed  to  restore 
to  it  the  true  spirit  of  worship  and  love  and  liberty  and  joy. 
In  view  of  this  gracious  work  of  power  the  multitude  re- 
joiced; and  Jesus  spoke  the  parables  of  the  Mustard  Seed 
and  the  Leaven,  the  former  to  indicate  that  his  power  yet 
was  to  extend  over  all  the  earth  and  the  latter  that  it  was 
to  transform  all  human  life.  Some  readers  interpret  the 
former  parable  as  indicating  the  unsubstantial  forms  that 
Christianity  at  times  assumes,  and  the  latter  the  false 
doctrine  which  at  times  permeates  the  Church.  Which- 
ever interpretation  one  accepts,  it  is  hardly  wise  to  base 
upon  it  any  theories  as  to  the  order  of  events  related  to 
the  coming  and  Kingdom  of  Christ.  All  will  agree  that 
small  beginnings  and  invisible  forces  are  not  to  be  despised 
or  distrusted  by  the  followers  of  the  Christ  who  some  day 
will  deliver  the  whole  suffering  creation  "  from  the  bondage 
of  corruption  into  the  liberty  of  the  glory  of  the  children 
of  God." 

B.  THE  SECOND  STAGES.    Chs.  13:  22  to  17:  10 
1.  The  Narrow  Door.     Ch.  13  :  22-30 

22  And  he  went  on  his  way  through  cities  and  villages, 
teaching,  and  journeying  on  unto  Jerusalem.  23  And  one 
said  unto  him,  Lord,  are  they  few  that  are  saved?  And  he 
said  unto  them,  24  Strive  to  enter  in  by  the  narrow  door:  for 
many,  I  say  unto  you,  shall  seek  to  enter  in,  and  shall  not  be 
able.  25  When  once  the  master  of  the  house  is  risen  up,  and 
hath  shut  to  the  door,  and  ye  begin  to  stand  without,  and  to 
knock  at  the  door,  saying,  Lord,  open  to  us ;  and  he  shall  an- 
swer and  say  to  you,  I  know  you  not  whence  ye  are ;  26  then 
shall  ye  begin  to  say,  We  did  eat  and  drink  in  thy  presence,  and 
thou  didst  teach  in  our  streets ;  27  and  he  shall  say,  I  tell  you, 
I  know  not  whence  ye  are ;  depart  from  me,  all  ye  workers  of 
iniquity.  28  There  shall  be  the  weeping  and  the  gnashing  of 
teeth,  when  ye  shall  see  Abraham,  and  Isaac,  and  Jacob,  and 
all  the  prophets,  in  the  kingdom  of  God,  and  yourselves  cast 
forth  without.  29  And  they  shall  come  from  the  east  and  west, 
and  from  the  north  and  south,  and  shall  sit  down  in  the  king- 
dom of  God.  30  And  behold,  there  are  last  who  shall  be  first, 
and  there  are  first  who  shall  be  last. 


134    JOURNEYS  TOWARD  JERUSALEM  Luke  13:  22-30 

This  is  the  first  in  a  new  series  of  incidents  on  the  last 
journeys  of  Jesus  toward  Jerusalem.  He  realized  the 
seriousness  of  the  situation.  He  knew  that  he  was  of- 
fering his  salvation  to  the  people  for  the  last  time,  and 
therefore  he  was  making  an  effort  to  reach  every  possible 
city  and  village  with  his  message. 

Some  one  among  his  hearers  asked  him  the  question, 
"Lord,  are  they  few  that  are  saved?"  He  did  not  reply 
directly  but  his  answer  implied  that  many  Jews  who  ex- 
pected to  be  saved  would  be  lost  and  many  Gentiles  whom 
the  Jews  expected  to  be  lost  would  be  saved.  Jesus  likened 
the  blessings  of  his  Kingdom  to  a  banquet  served  in  a  pal- 
ace. The  door  into  this  palace  is  narrow,  and  many  who 
are  invited  refuse  to  pass  in  thereby;  after  a  time  this  door 
is  shut,  and  then  those  who  before  have  refused  to  enter, 
intreat  the  Master  of  the  house  to  reopen  it,  but  in  vain; 
they  are  forever  excluded,  and  are  overwhelmed  with  re- 
morse and  chagrin.  The  narrow  door  is  that  of  repentance 
and  faith  in  Christ;  the  opportunity  for  entrance  is  present 
but  not  endless;  those  who  reject  Christ  will  be  excluded 
from  his  Kingdom;  among  these  will  be  many  whose  folly 
will  be  specially  apparent.  In  the  parable  they  are  rep- 
resented as  pleading  for  entrance,  and  on  the  very  ground 
which  condemned  them.  They  are  pictured  as  saying 
that  they  had  known  Christ  well;  they  had  eaten  in  his 
presence  and  he  had  taught  in  their  streets.  Why,  then, 
had  they  not  accepted  him?  These  privileges  only  in- 
crease their  guilt;  and  the  Lord  refused  to  recognize  them 
as  his  own.  Thus  did  Jesus  describe  the  exclusion  from 
his  Kingdom  of  many  Jews;  and  he  added  the  equally  sur- 
prising statement  of  the  reception  of  Gentiles:  "They  shall 
come  from  the  east  and  west,  and  from  the  north  and  south, 
and  shall  sit  down  in  the  kingdom  of  God." 

Thus  Jesus  gave  a  very  practical  turn  to  the  question 
which  had  been  asked  in  mere  curiosity.  It  is  not  impor- 
tant to  know  exactly  how  many  will  be  saved ;  it  is  for  each 
who  hears  the  gospel  to  place  himself  in  that  number,  now 
and  at  any  cost.  It  is  not  enough  that  one  lives  in  a 
Christian  land,  and  in  a  religious  home,  and  possesses 
knowledge  of  saving  truth;  each  must  repent  and  accept 


Luke  13:31-35      THE  SECOND  STAGES  135 

Christ  for  himself.  The  sad  truth  is  that  many  who,  like 
the  Jews,  have  the  largest  religious  opportunities  are  the 
furthest  from  salvation:  "There  are  last  who  shall  be  first, 
and  there  are  first  who  shall  be  last. " 

2.  The  Message  to  Herod  and  the  Lament  Over  Jerusalem 
Ch.  13  :  31-35 

31  In  that  very  hour  there  came  certain  Pharisees,  saying 
to  him,  Get  thee  out,  and  go  hence :  for  Herod  would  fain  kiU 
thee.  32  And  he  said  unto  them,  Go  and  say  to  that  fox,  Be- 
hold, I  cast  out  demons  and  perform  cures  to-day  and  to- 
morrow, and  the  third  day  I  am  perfected.  33  Nevertheless 
I  must  go  on  my  way  to-day  and  to-morrow  and  the  day  fol- 
lowing :  for  it  cannot  be  that  a  prophet  perish  out  of  Jerusalem. 
34  O  Jerusalem,  Jerusalem,  that  killeth  the  prophets,  and 
stoneth  them  that  are  sent  unto  her !  how  often  would  I  have 
gathered  thy  children  together,  even  as  a  hen  gather eth  her 
own  brood  under  her  wings,  and  ye  would  not!  35  Behold, 
your  house  is  left  unto  you  desolate:  and  I  say  unto  you,  Ye 
shall  not  see  me,  until  ye  shall  say,  Blessed  is  he  that  cometh 
in  the  name  of  the  Lord. 

A  report  reached  Jesus  that  Herod  was  threatening  his 
life.  This  report  was  brought  by  the  Pharisees  who  hoped 
that  it  would  terrify  the  followers  of  Jesus  and  induce  him 
to  flee  to  Jerusalem  where  he  would  fall  into  the  hands  of 
the   Jewish    rulers. 

Instead,  Jesus  sent  to  the  king  a  message  of  defiance  and 
irony;  it  has  no  note  of  insolence,  but  reveals  the  courage 
and  indignation  of  a  true  man.  " Go  and  say  to  that  fox" 
— Jesus  thus  addressed  Herod  because  he  saw  the  crafti- 
ness of  the  king.  Herod  did  not  wish  the  disrepute  of 
killing  another  prophet  so  soon  after  the  death  of  John, 
but  he  wished  his  realm  to  be  rid  of  one  whom  he  regarded 
as  a  dangerous  leader;  so  he  did  not  arrest  Jesus  but  tried 
to  put  him  to  flight.  The  Pharisees  were  asked  to  bear 
this  message  to  the  king  because  Jesus  saw  that  they  were 
one  with  the  king  in  the  malicious  cunning  of  their  report. 

"Behold,  I  cast  out  demons  and  perform  cures  to-day 
and  to-morrow  and  the  third  day  I  am  perfected. "  Thus 
Jesus  declared  that  his  time  and  task  were  divinely  al- 
lotted; no  king  could  shorten  the  time  till  the  task  was 


136      JOURNEYS  TOWARD  JERUSALEM     Luke  14:  1-8 

done.  When  his  work  was  complete,  then  in  his  death 
and  resurrection  the  glory  and  grace  and  power  of  Jesus 
would  be  made  perfect.  "Nevertheless  I  must  go  on  my 
way."  Jesus  was  to  leave  Galilee  and  Perea,  the  realm 
of  Herod,  not  because  he  feared  the  king,  but  in  fulfillment 
of  his  task  which  would  take  him  to  Jerusalem.  The  ex- 
plicit reference  to  Jerusalem  was  made  in  a  tone  of  solemn 
irony,  "For  it  cannot  be  that  a  prophet  perish  out  of  Jeru- 
salem"; that  city  had  a  monoply  in  murdering  prophets; 
it  would  be  quite  improper  for  Jesus  to  be  killed  in  any 
other   place. 

However,  the  reference  to  Jerusalem  led  Jesus  to  pro- 
nounce a  lament  of  touching  pathos  over  the  city  he  truly 
loved.  He  saw  that  his  rejection  and  death  would  hasten 
the  destruction  of  the  city.  He  saw  its  doom  already  hov- 
ering over  it  like  a  bird  of  prey.  He  gladly  would  have 
given  his  divine  salvation  and  protection,  but  his  people 
would  not  accept  him.  Now  they  would  be  left  to  their 
own  defense,  that  is  to  say,  to  the  ruin  which  he  alone 
could  have  averted.  Henceforth  they  would  not  see  him 
in  his  saving  power  until  as  a  suffering  and  repentant 
nation  they  would  finally  welcome  his  return  as  that  of  their 
true  Saviour  and  Lord.  How  Jesus  always  yearns  to 
bless  and  to  deliver,  and  how  often  he  is  spurned  and  re- 
jected by  those  who  need  him  the  most! 

3.  Jesus   as   a    Sabbath   Guest.     Ch.    14  :  1-24 

1  And  it  came  to  pass,  when  he  went  into  the  house  of  one 
of  the  rulers  of  the  Pharisees  on  a  sabbath  to  eat  bread,  that 
they  were  watching  him.  2  And  behold,  there  was  before  him 
a  certain  man  that  had  the  dropsy.  3  And  Jesus  answering 
spake  unto  the  lawyers  and  Pharisees,  saying,  Is  it  lawful  to 
heal  on  the  sabbath,  or  not?  4  But  they  held  their  peace.  And 
he  took  him,  and  healed  him,  and  let  him  go.  5  And  he  said 
unto  them,  Which  of  you  shall  have  an  ass  or  an  ox  fallen  into 
a  well,  and  will  not  straightway  draw  him  up  on  a  sabbath  day? 
6  And  they  could  not  answer  again  unto  these  things. 

7  And  he  spake  a  parable  unto  those  that  were  bidden,  when 
he  marked  how  they  chose  out  the  chief  seats;  saying  unto 
them,  8  When  thou  art  bidden  of  any  man  to  a  marriage  feast, 
sit  not  down  in  the  chief  seat ;  lest  haply  a  more  honorable  man 


Luke  14:9-24       THE  SECOND  STAGES  137 

than  thou  be  bidden  of  him,  9  and  he  that  bade  thee  and  him 
shall  come  and  say  to  thee,  Give  this  man  place ;  and  then  thou 
shalt  begin  with  shame  to  take  the  lowest  place.  10  But  when 
thou  art  bidden,  go  and  sit  down  in  the  lowest  place ;  that  when 
he  that  hath  bidden  thee  cometh,  he  may  say  to  thee,  Friend, 
go  up  higher:  then  shalt  thou  have  glory  in  the  presence  of  all 
that  sit  at  meat  with  thee.  1 1  For  everyone  that  exalteth  him- 
self shall  be  humbled ;  and  he  that  humbleth  himself  shall  be 
exalted. 

12  And  he  said  to  him  also  that  had  bidden  him,  When 
thou  makest  a  dinner  or  a  supper,  call  not  thy  friends,  nor  thy 
brethren,  nor  thy  kinsmen,  nor  rich  neighbors;  lest  haply 
they  also  bid  thee  again,  and  a  recompense  be  made  thee.  13 
But  when  thou  makest  a  feast,  bid  the  poor,  the  maimed,  the 
lame,  the  blind:  14  and  thou  shalt  be  blessed;  because  they 
have  not  wherewith  to  recompense  thee:  for  thou  shalt  be  re- 
compensed in  the  resurrection  of  the  just. 

15  And  when  one  of  them  that  sat  at  meat  with  him  heard 
these  things,  he  said  unto  him,  Blessed  is  he  that  shall  eat 
bread  in  the  kingdom  of  God*  16  But  he  said  unto  him,  A 
certain  man  made  a  great  supper;  and  he  bade  many:  17  and 
he  sent  forth  his  servants  at  supper  time  to  say  to  them  that 
were  bidden,  Come ;  for  all  things  are  now  ready.  18  And  they 
all  with  one  consent  began  to  make  excuse.  The  first  said  unto 
him,  I  have  bought  a  field,  and  I  must  needs  go  out  and  see  it; 
I  pray  thee  have  me  excused.  19  And  another  said,  I  have 
bought  five  yoke  of  oxen,  and  I  go  to  prove  them ;  I  pray  thee 
have  me  excused.  20  And  another  said,  I  have  married  a  wife, 
and  therefore  I  cannot  come.  21  And  the  servant  came,  and 
told  his  lord  these  things.  Then  the  master  of  the  house  be- 
ing angry  said  to  his  servant,  Go  out  quickly  into  the  streets 
and  lanes  of  the  city,  and  bring  in  hither  the  poor  and  maimed 
and  blind  and  lame.  22  And  the  servant  said,  Lord,  what 
thou  didst  command  is  done,  and  yet  there  is  room.  23 
And  the  lord  said  unto  the  servant,  Go  out  into  the  highways 
and  hedges,  and  constrain  them  to  come  in,  that  my  house 
may  be  filled.  24  For  I  say  unto  you,  that  none  of  those  men 
that  were  bidden  shall  taste  of  my  supper. 

Luke  pictures  our  Lord  not  as  a  severe  ascetic  but  as  a 
man  of  human  sympathies  and  social  instincts,  mingling 
freely  with  his  fellow  men,  worshiping  with  them  in  their 
synagogues  and  eating  with  them  in  their  homes.  No 
domestic  scene  in  the  life  of  our  Lord  is  sketched  with  more 


138     JOURNEYS  TOWARD  JERUSALEM     Luke  14:  9-24 

detail  than  that  of  the  Sabbath  feast  in  the  house  of  a 
Pharisee.  Jesus  is  pictured  as  entering  with  the  guests, 
noting  the  ranks  of  society  to  which  they  belong,  and  taking 
a  leading  part  in  their  conversation.  Yet  he  never  for  a 
moment  forgot  his  mission;  he  seized  every  opportunity 
for  delivering  some  needed  message.  Here  his  tones  were 
unusually  severe,  for  he  was  among  persons  who,  while 
formally  courteous,  were  in  their  hearts  hostile  to  him ;  but 
he  showed  to  all  his  unfailing  grace,  and  his  desire  for  their 
highest  good. 

While  the  guests  were  assembling  Jesus  saw  a  man  suf- 
fering from  disease.  He  knew  that  the  Pharisees  were 
watching  him  and  would  object  to  his  effecting  a  cure  upon 
the  Sabbath  Day  and  he  therefore  turned  to  ask  whether 
a  cure  would  be  lawful.  When  they  hesitated  to  reply, 
he  healed  the  sufferer  and  then  rebuked  their  hypocrisy, 
and  warned  against  all  insincerity  in  religion  by  reminding 
these  formalists  that  they  would  not  hesitate  on  the  Sab- 
bath to  rescue  a  beast  they  owned;  should  they  regard  it 
as  sinful  to  deliver  a  human  being  from  distress?  Jesus 
never  encouraged  breaking  the  Sabbath  law,  but  he  taught 
that  this  law  must  be  interpreted  by  love. 

When  the  guests  were  seated  and  Jesus  saw  how  they 
chose  for  themselves  the  most  desirable  places,  he  took 
occasion  to  rebuke  selfish  ambition  and  to  give  a  lesson  in 
humility.  Evidently,  when  Jesus  advised  a  guest  to  "sit 
down  in  the  lowest  place;  that  when  he  that  hath  bidden 
thee  cometh,  he  may  say  to  thee,  Friend,  go  up  higher," 
he  was  not  merely  teaching  good  manners  or  worldly  wis- 
dom, nor  was  he  advising  the  pride  that  masquerades  as 
humility.  He  was  stating  the  great  law  that  among  his 
followers  true  lowliness  and  conscious  unworthiness  in  the 
sight  of  God  are  the  real  conditions  of  advancement  and 
honor;  "For  everyone  that  exalteth  himself  shall  be  hum- 
bled; and  he  that  humbleth  himself  shall  be  exalted. " 

Then  as  Jesus  looked  around  upon  the  company  he  took 
occasion  to  teach  a  lesson  in  true  charity.  He  told  his 
host — and  there  was  something  of  playfulness  in  his  voice 
— that  in  selecting  guests  one  should  invite  not  only  the 
rich,  lest  he  might  be  so  unfortunate  (?)  as  to  receive  an 


Luke  14:9-24       THE  SECOND  STAGES  139 

invitation  in  return,  but  also  the  poor,  who  could  not  re- 
turn the  favor.  Here  again,  Jesus  was  not  giving  merely 
rules  of  social  hospitality;  he  was  illustrating  the  great 
spiritual  principle  of  unselfish  motives  in  all  deeds  of  kind- 
ness. We  are  not  to  confer  benefits  with  a  view  to  re- 
ceiving benefits  in  return. 

However,  Jesus  did  not  mean  literally  to  forbid  inviting 
rich  guests  to  our  homes  or  to  insist  that  all  feasts  must  be 
confined  to  paupers,  but  to  teach  that  no  service  is  to  be 
rendered  with  the  mere  hope  of  personal  gain.  It  is  proper 
and  pleasant,  it  may  be  even  profitable,  to  entertain 
"friends"  or  "brethren"  or  "kinsmen"  or  "rich  neigh- 
bors"; but  in  none  of  these  cases  is  such  entertainment  a 
ground  of  merit  for  they  may  "bid  thee  again";  but  if 
kindness  is  shown  to  the  poor  or  rich  simply  for  their  good 
and  with  no  thought  of  personal  gain  either  present  or 
future,  the  deed  will  not  be  without  its  reward:  "for  thou 
shalt  be  recompensed  in  the  resurrection  of  the  just." 

Possibly  this  reference  or  some  similar  reference  called 
forth  from  one  of  the  guests  the  exclamation,  "Blessed  is 
he  that  shall  eat  bread  in  the  kingdom  of  God."  Jesus 
took  the  occasion  to  give  the  parable  of  the  Great  Supper, 
by  which  he  illustrated  the  sinful  folly  of  refusing  to  accept 
his  offer  of  salvation.  In  this  story  those  who  were  bidden 
to  the  feast  at  first  feigned  a  willingness  to  come,  but  sub- 
sequently, by  their  refusal  and  their  flimsy  excuses,  they 
showed  their  complete  absorption  in  selfish  interests  and 
their  utter  disregard  for  their  host.  However,  their  places 
were  filled  with  other  guests,  some  of  them  poor  and  help- 
less, from  their  own  city;  others  were  vagrants  from  the 
highways  and  hedges  beyond.  Thus  Jesus  plainly  pic- 
tured the  refusal  by  the  rulers  and  Pharisees  of  his  offered 
salvation  and  its  acceptance,  first  by  publicans  and  sinners, 
and  then  by  despised  Gentiles. 

There  was,  however,  a  message  for  each  one  who  heard 
the  story,  and  there  is  a  message  to-day  for  anyone  who  is 
rejecting  Christ.  The  Pharisees,  by  inviting  Jesus  to  dine, 
pretended  to  feel  some  sympathy  for  him  as  a  prophet, 
while  in  their  hearts  they  hated  him;  and  the  very  man 
whose  pious  and  sentimental  remark  about  "  the  kingdom 


140    JOURNEYS  TOWARD  JERUSALEM    Luke  14:  25-35 

of  God  "  occasioned  the  parable,  was  unwilling  to  accept  the 
invitation  to  "eat  bread  in  the  kingdom  of  God"  which 
Jesus  was  presenting. 

So  there  are  those  to-day  who  show  an  outward  respect 
for  Christian  truth  and  talk  sentimentally  about  the  King- 
dom of  God,  who,  however,  are  so  absorbed  in  selfish  in- 
terests and  have  so  little  real  love  for  God  that  they  refuse 
the  offer  of  salvation,  while  social  outcasts  and  despised 
heathen  gladly  accept  the  invitation  to  life  and  divine 
fellowship  and  eternal  joy. 

4.  Counting  the  Cost.     Ch.  14  :  25-35 

25  Now  there  went  with  him  great  multitudes:  and  he 
turned,  and  said  unto  them,  26  If  any  man  cometh  unto  me, 
and  hateth  not  his  own  father,  and  mother,  and  wife  and 
children,  and  brethren,  and  sisters,  yea,  and  his  own  life  also, 
he  cannot  be  my  disciple.  27  Whosoever  doth  not  bear  his 
own  cross,  and^come  after  me,  cannot  be  my  disciple.  28  For 
which  of  you,  desiring  to  build  a  tower,  doth  not  first  sit  down 
and  count  the  cost,  whether  he  have  wherewith  to  complete 
it?  29  Lest  haply,  when  he  hath  laid  a  foundation,  and  is  not 
able  to  finish,  all  that  behold  begin  to  mock  him,  30  saying, 
This  man  began  to  build,  and  was  not  able  to  finish.  31  Or 
what  king,  as  he  goeth  to  encounter  another  king  in  war,  will 
not  sit  down  first  and  take  counsel  whether  he  is  able  with  ten 
thousand  to  meet  him  that  cometh  against  him  with  twenty 
thousand?  32  Or  else,  while  the  other  is  yet  a  great  way  off, 
he  sendeth  an  ambassage,  and  asketh  conditions  of  peace. 
33  So  therefore  whosoever  he  be  of  you  that  renounceth  not 
all  that  he  hath,  he  cannot  be  my  disciple.  34  Salt  therefore 
is  good:  but  if  even  the  salt  have  lost  its  savor,  wherewith 
shall  it  be  seasoned?  35  It  is  fit  neither  for  the  land  nor  for 
the  dunghill :  men  cast  it  out.  He  that  hath  ears  to  hear,  let 
him  hear. 

As  Jesus  was  journeying  on  toward  Jerusalem  the  at- 
tending crowds  were  increasing  in  size  and  in  excitement. 
The  people  imagined  that  he  was  about  to  establish  a  king- 
dom in  pomp  and  splendor  and  power,  and  in  these  glories 
they  expected  to  share.  To  remove  the  misunderstanding, 
Jesus  turned  to  declare  the  true  conditions  of  discipleship. 
His  followers  must  expect  sacrifice  and  suffering  and 
be  willing  to  part  with  all  they  possessed,  even  with  life 


Luke  15: 1-7         THE  SECOND  STAGES  141 

itself.  When  he  declared  that  they  must  hate  their  kin- 
dred and  their  own  lives,  he  of  course  meant  that  they 
must  love  them  less  than  they  loved  him,  regarding  them 
with  aversion  only  in  so  far  as  they  were  opposed  to  him 
or  stood  in  the  way  of  his  service.  To  be  his  disciple  one 
must  be  willing  to  "bear  his  own  cross,"  which  was  a 
symbol  of  suffering  and  of  death;  one  must  continually 
yield  his  will  to  the  will  of  Christ,  no  matter  what  hardship 
or  loss  might  be  involved. 

Jesus  did  not  wish  to  discourage  men  from  following 
him,  but  warned  them  first  to  count  the  cost.  This  he 
illustrated  by  referring  to  the  folly  of  laying  the  foundation 
for  a  building  without  first  estimating  the  entire  expense 
and  one's  ability  to  meet  it;  he  also  stated,  as  a  further 
illustration,  the  rashness  of  entering  a  war  without  first  cal- 
culating what  sacrifices  must  be  made  to  win.  Jesus  did 
not  mean  that  it  is  better  not  to  begin  the  Christian  life 
than  to  begin  and  fail,  but  that  it  is  not  wise  even  to  begin 
unless  one  first  realizes  that  it  involves  a  readiness  to 
renounce  everything  which  the  service  of  Christ  may 
demand.  "So  therefore  whosoever  he  be  of  you  that  re- 
nounceth  not  all  that  he  hath,  he  cannot  be  my  disciple. " 

Nothing  could  be  more  useless  than  a  worldly  and  self- 
ish and  willful  follower  of  Christ;  he  is  like  salt  that  has 
lost  its  savor;  he  lacks  the  very  essence  of  disci pleship ;  he 
can  be  of  no  possible  service  to  his  Lord. 

5.  The  Prodigal  Son.     Ch.  IS 

1  Now  all  the  publicans  and  sinners  were  drawing  near  unto 
him  to  hear  him.  2  And  both  the  Pharisees  and  the  scribes 
murmured,  saying,  This  man  receiveth  sinners,  and  eateth 
with  them. 

3  And  he  spake  unto  them  this  parable  saying,  4  What  man 
of  you,  having  a  hundred  sheep,  and  having  lost  one  of  them, 
doth  not  leave  the  ninety  and  nine  in  the  wilderness,  and  go 
after  that  which  is  lost,  until  he  find  it?  5  And  when  he  hath 
found  it,  he  layeth  it  on  his  shoulders,  rejoicing.  6  And  when 
he  cometh  home,  he  calleth  together  his  friends  and  his  neigh- 
bors, saying  unto  them,  Rejoice  with  me,  for  I  have  found  my 
sheep  which  was  lost.  7  I  say  unto  you,  that  even  so  there 
shall  be  joy  in  heaven  over  one  sinner  that  repenteth,  more 


142     JOURNEYS  TOWARD  JERUSALEM  Luke  15:8-29 

than  over  ninety  and  nine  righteous  persons,  who  need  no  re- 
pentance. 

8  Or  what  woman  having  ten  pieces  of  silver,  if  she  lose  one 
piece,  doth  not  light  a  lamp,  and  sweep  the  house,  and  seek 
diligently  until  she  find  it?  9  And  when  she  hath  found  it,  she 
calleth  together  her  friends  and  neighbors,  saying,  Rejoice 
with  me,  for  I  have  found  the  piece  which  I  had  lost.  10  Even 
so,  I  say  unto  you,  there  is  joy  in  the  presence  of  the  angels  of 
God  over  one  sinner  that  repenteth. 

11  And  he  said,  A  certain  man  had  two  sons:  12  and  the 
younger  of  them  said  to  his  father,  Father,  give  me  the  por- 
tion of  thy  substance  that  falleth  to  me.  And  he  divided  unto 
them  his  living.  13  And  not  many  days  after,  the  younger  son 
gathered  all  together  and  took  his  journey  into  a  far  country ; 
and  there  he  wasted  his  substance  with  riotous  living.  14 
And  when  he  had  spent  all,  there  arose  a  mighty  famine  in 
that  country;  and  he  began  to  be  in  want.  15  And  he  went 
and  joined  himself  to  one  of  the  citizens  of  that  country ;  and 
he  sent  him  into  his  fields  to  feed  swine.  16  And  he  would 
fain  have  filled  his  belly  with  the  husks  that  the  swine  did  eat: 
and  no  man  gave  unto  him.  17  But  when  he  came  to  himself 
he  said,  How  many  hired  servants  of  my  father's  have  bread 
enough  and  to  spare,  and  I  perish  here  with  hunger!  18  I 
will  arise  and  go  to  my  father,  and  will  say  unto  him,  Father, 
I  have  sinned  against  heaven,  and  in  thy  sight:  19 1  am  no  more 
worthy  to  be  called  thy  son:  make  me  as  one  of  thy  hired  serv- 
ants. 20  And  he  arose,  and  came  to  his  father.  But  while  he 
was  yet  afar  off,  his  father  saw  him,  and  was  moved  with  com- 
passion, and  ran,  and  fell  on  his  neck,  and  kissed  him.  21 
And  the  son  said  unto  him,  Father,  I  have  sinned  against 
heaven,  and  in  thy  sight:  I  am  no  more  worthy  to  be  called 
thy  son.  22  But  the  father  said  to  his  servants,  Bring  forth 
quickly  the  best  robe,  and  put  it  on  him;  and  put  a  ring  on 
his  hand,  and  shoes  on  his  feet:  23  and  bring  the  fatted 
calf,  and  kill  it,  and  let  us  eat,  and  make  merry:  24  for  this 
my  son  was  dead,  and  is  alive  again;  he  was  lost,  and  is 
found.  And  they  began  to  be  merry.  25  Now  his  elder  son 
was  in  the  field :  and  as  he  came  and  drew  nigh  to  the  house, 
he  heard  music  and  dancing.  26  And  he  called  to  him  one 
of  the  servants,  and  inquired  what  these  things  might  be. 
27  And  he  said  unto  him,  Thy  brother  is  come;  and  thy 
father  hath  killed  the  fatted  calf,  because  he  hath  received 
him  safe  and  sound.  28  But  he  was  angry,  and  would  not 
go  in:  and  his  father  came  out,  and  entreated  him.  29  But 
he  answered  and  said  to  his  father,  Lo,  these  many  years 


Luke  15:30-32     THE  SECOND  STAGES  143 

do  I  serve  thee,  and  I  never  transgressed  a  commandment  of 
thine;  and  yet  thou  never  gavest  me  a  kid,  that  I  might  make 
merry  with  my  friends:  30  but  when  this  thy  son  came,  who 
hath  devoured  thy  living  with  harlots,  thou  killedst  for  him 
the  fatted  calf.  31  And  he  said  unto  him,  Son,  thou  art  ever 
with  me,  and  all  that  is  mine  is  thine.  32  But  it  was  meet 
to  make  merry  and  be  glad:  for  this  thy  brother  was  dead, 
and  is  alive  again;  and  was  lost,  and  is  found 

The  precious  and  matchless  parable  of  the  Prodigal  Son 
belongs  naturally  to  Luke.  Its  literary  charm,  its  tender 
beauty,  its  deep  human  interest,  its  breadth  of  sympathy, 
its  perfect  picture  of  the  grace  and  love  of  God,  all  are  in 
peculiar  accord  with  the  purpose  and  genius  of  this  Gospel. 

The  parable  is  linked  with  two  others,  the  teachings  of 
which  it  includes  and  completes:  the  parables  of  the  Lost 
Sheep  and  of  the  Lost  Coin.  The  occasion  of  all  three 
parables  was  the  censure  passed  by  the  Pharisees  upon  Jesus 
because  of  his  association  with  social  outcasts  and  his  cor- 
dial welcome  to  penitent  sinners.  Jesus  rebuked  his  ene- 
mies by  showing  that  it  is  natural  to  rejoice  in  the  recovery 
of  a  lost  sheep  or  a  lost  coin  or  a  lost  son:  much  more,  then, 
must  God  rejoice  in  the  recovery  of  a  lost  soul.  Evidently 
they  who  fail  to  share  his  joy  must  be  out  of  sympathy  and 
fellowship  with  him. 

The  first  parable  reveals  the  love  of  God  in  depicting  his 
compassion  for  the  distress  and  helplessness  of  the  sinner. 
The  second  shows  how  precious  a  lost  soul  is  in  the  sight  of 
the  loving  God.  Both  of  them  picture  his  yearning  and 
patient  effort  for  the  recovery  of  the  sinner  and  his  abound- 
ing joy  in  the  restoration  of  the  lost.  The  statement 
that  "there  shall  be  joy  in  heaven  over  one  sinner  that  re- 
penteth,  more  than  over  ninety  and  nine  righteous  persons, 
who  need  no  repentance,"  is  not  to  be  interpreted  too  liter- 
ally. It  does  not  mean  that  God  finds  more  satisfaction  in 
a  repentant  sinner  than  in  a  sinless  saint.  Jesus  was  here 
referring  definitely  to  the  penitent  publicans  and  to  the 
self-righteous  Pharisees.  God  did  not  take  delight  in  the 
sins  of  the  former,  nor  did  he  regard  the  state  of  the  latter 
as  perfect,  even  taking  the  Pharisees  at  their  best  and  re- 
garding them  as  faithful  to  the  laws  of  God.     Whatever 


144    JOURNEYS  TOWARD  JERUSALEM  Luke  15 :  30-32 

its  motive,  morality  is  always  better  than  lawlessness  and 
impurity.  However,  a  repentant  sinner  who  understands 
the  grace  and  mercy  of  God  is  always  more  pleasing  to  him 
than  the  Pharisee,  proud,  critical,  and  unloving,  however 
correct  he  may  be  in  his  moral  behavior. 

This  truth  is  made  more  plain  in  the  parable  of  the  Prod- 
igal Son.  Here  we  have  perfectly  described  the  experience 
of  the  repentant  sinner  and  also  the  unsympathetic  atti- 
tude of  the  disdainful  Pharisee.  The  first  is  represented 
in  the  story  by  the  prodigal  and  the  second  by  the  conduct 
of  his  elder  brother. 

In  describing  the  waywardness  of  this  younger  son,  Jesus 
gave  a  complete  picture  of  the  character  and  consequences 
of  sin.  Some  have  thought  that  the  parable  of  the  Lost 
Sheep  indicates  that  sin  is  due  in  part  to  ignorance  and  folly 
and  that  the  parable  of  the  Lost  Coin  shows  that  it  may  be 
occasioned  by  misfortune  or  accident.  The  parable  of  the 
Prodigal  Son,  however,  shows  that  it  is  usually  due  to  will- 
ful choice  and  to  a  desire  for  indulgence.  Its  results  are 
sketched  in  appalling  colors.  We  are  shown  all  its  disil- 
lusion, suffering,  slavery,  and  despair.  As  a  picture  of  the 
inevitable  consequences  of  sin,  no  touch  could  be  added 
to  the  scene  of  the  prodigal  in  the  far  country  when  he  had 
spent  all,  when  the  famine  had  arisen,  when  he  had  sold 
himself  to  feed  swine  and  was  unable  to  be  satisfied  even 
with  the  coarse  food  he  was  providing  for  beasts. 

Nor  is  there  any  more  beautiful  picture  of  repentance 
than  was  drawn  when  the  Master  described  the  prodigal 
as  "he  came  to  himself,"  his  sin  had  not  been  mere  folly,  it 
had  been  madness.  He  remembered  a  former  time  of  joy 
and  plenty  in  his  early  home.  He  realized  his  present  des- 
perate need ;  he  resolved  to  arise  and  go  to  his  father.  Most 
of  all,  he  saw  that  his  offense  had  been  not  only  against  a 
loving,  earthly  parent  but  against  God,  and  that  he  was 
wholly  undeserving  of  fellowship  with  his  father.  Repent- 
ance is  not  only  sorrow  for  sin;  it  is  an  acknowledgment 
that  the  offense  has  been  committed  against  a  holy  God;  it 
is  a  change  of  heart  toward  him,  and  a  resolution  for  a  new 
life  which  manifests  itself  in  definite  action.  "He  arose, 
and  came  to  his  father." 


Luke  15:  30-32     THE  SECOND  STAGES  145 

Strictly  speaking,  this  is  the  end  of  the  parable  of  the 
Prodigal  Son.  In  another  sense  the  most  beautiful  part 
immediately  follows.  It  is  a  description  of  the  matchless 
love  shown  by  God  to  every  repentant  soul.  The  father 
had  never  ceased  to  love  the  prodigal  or  to  hope  and  yearn 
for  his  return.  He  had  been  eagerly  looking  for  his  way- 
ward son.  The  first  sight  of  the  prodigal  filled  his  heart 
with  compassion;  he  "ran,  and  fell  on  his  neck,  and  kissed 
him."  The  prodigal  was  ready  to  confess  his  fault,  but  the 
father  scarcely  heard  his  words  as  he  commanded  the  serv- 
ants to  "bring  forth  quickly  the  best  robe,  and  put  it  on 
him;  and  put  a  ring  on  his  hand,  and  shoes  on  his  feet:  and 
bring  the  fatted  calf,  and  kill  it,  and  let  us  eat,  and  make 
merry."  It  is  a  picture  not  only  of  pardon  but  of  complete 
restoration.  It  assures  the  sinner  that  as  he  turns  to  God 
he  will  be  received  into  the  closest  fellowship  of  a  son  and 
heir  and  that  his  return  will  give  joy  to  the  heart  of  God 
who  will  regard  him  as  one  that  "was  dead,  and  is  alive 
again,"  as  one  who  "was  lost,  and  is  found." 

The  picture  of  the  elder  son  is  exquisitely  sketched.  It 
was  unquestionably  intended  to  describe  the  loveless 
Pharisees  who  envied  the  joy  of  the  repentant  publicans 
and  sinners.  It  furthermore  brings  a  message  to  all  per- 
sons in  every  age  to  whom  religion  is  merely  a  matter  of 
unwilling  obedience  and  of  loveless  faithfulness  to  the  laws 
of  God.  It  depicts  souls  out  of  fellowship  with  God,  feel- 
ing no  real  joy  in  his  service  and  sharing  none  of  his  glad- 
ness in  the  salvation  of  lost  souls. 

The  elder  brother  knew  nothing  of  the  experience  of  a 
true  son.  He  was  merely  a  slave.  When  the  prodigal  re- 
turned he  was  not  watching  with  his  father,  he  was  "in  the 
field" ;  when  he  learned  that  his  brother  had  been  welcomed 
to  the  home  he  was  filled  with  anger.  He  refused  to  enter 
the  house  and  when  his  father  came  out  to  entreat  him,  he 
accused  him  of  partiality  and  unkindness.  His  words  de- 
scribed admirably  the  self-righteousness  of  the  Pharisees, 
"I  never  transgressed  a  commandment  of  thine";  they  also 
show  how  little  he  appreciated  his  true  privileges,  "thou 
never  gavest  me  a  kid."  The  reply  of  his  father  intimates 
the  possibilities  which  he  never  had  appreciated  and  the 


146      JOURNEYS  TOWARD  JERUSALEM     Luke  16: 1-7 

privileges  which  he  never  had  enjoyed,  "Son,  thou  art 
ever  with  me,  and  all  that  is  mine  is  thine."  It  had  always 
been  possible  for  the  Pharisees  to  enjoy  the  grace  and 
mercy  and  love  of  God;  but  to  them  religion  had  been  a 
mere  burdensome  round  of  rites  and  duties.  It  had  given 
no  satisfaction,  no  gladness,  to  their  hearts.  Something  of 
their  experience  is  paralleled  even  by  Christians  of  the  pre- 
sent day.  Failing  to  appreciate  the  gracious  pardon  of  God 
and  his  willingness  to  supply  every  spiritual  need,  forget- 
ting the  possibility  of  living  in  daily  communion  and  fel- 
lowship with  him,  knowing  nothing  of  his  joys  in  the  sal- 
vation and  repentance  of  lost  souls,  they  are  seeking  in 
their  own  strength,  wearily  and  joylessly,  to  do  the  things 
that  they  believe  to  be  right  and  to  obey  the  commands  of 
God,  but  their  lives  are  like  those  of  servants,  not  like  the 
free,  joyous,  loving  experience  of  true  sons. 

Possibly  the  most  artistic  touch  in  the  parable  is  its 
abrupt  close.  We  do  not  know  whether  the  elder  son 
yielded  to  the  entreaty  of  his  father  or  not.  It  was  an 
appeal  to  the  Pharisees;  would  they  accept  the  grace  of 
God  and  further  his  plans  for  the  salvation  of  the  lost,  or 
would  they  continue  to  criticize  and  envy  the  repentant 
sinner?     Shall  we  live  as  servants  or  as  sons? 

6.  The  Unrighteous  Steward.     Ch.  16  : 1-13 

1  And  he  said  also  unto  the  disciples,  There  was  a  certain 
rich  man,  who  had  a  steward ;  and  the  same  was  accused  unto 
him  that  he  was  wasting  his  goods.  2  And  he  called  him,  and 
said  unto  him,  What  is  this  that  I  hear  of  thee?  render  the  ac- 
count of  thy  stewardship ;  for  thou  canst  be  no  longer  steward. 
3  And  the  steward  said  within  himself,  What  shall  I  do,  seeing 
that  my  lord  taketh  away  the  stewardship  from  me?  I  have 
not  strength  to  dig;  to  beg  I  am  ashamed.  4  I  am  resolved 
what  to  do,  that,  when  I  am  put  out  of  the  stewardship,  they 
may  receive  me  into  their  houses.  5  And  calling  to  him  each 
one  of  his  lord's  debtors,  he  said  to  the  first,  How  much  owest 
thou  unto  my  lord?  6  And  he  said,  A  hundred  measures  of  oil. 
And  he  said  unto  him,  Take  thy  bond,  and  sit  down  quickly 
and  write  fifty.  7  Then  said  he  to  another,  And  how  much 
owest  thou?  And  he  said,  A  hundred  measures  of  wheat. 
He  saith  unto  him,  Take  thy  bond,  and  write  fourscore. 


Luke  16: 8-13       THE  SECOND  STAGES  147 

8  And  his  lord  commended  the  unrighteous  steward  because 
he  had  done  wisely :  for  the  sons  of  this  world  are  for  their  own 
generation  wiser  than  the  sons  of  the  light.  9  And  I  say  unto 
you,  Make  to  yourselves  friends  by  means  of  the  mammon  of 
unrighteousness;  that,  when  it  shall  fail,  they  may  receive 
you  into  the  eternal  tabernacles.  10  He  that  is  faithful  in  a 
very  little  is  faithful  also  in  much :  and  he  that  is  unrighteous 
in  a  very  little  is  unrighteous  also  in  much.  11  If  therefore 
ye  have  not  been  faithful  in  the  unrighteous  mammon,  who 
will  commit  to  your  trust  the  true  riches?  12  And  if  ye  have 
not  been  faithful  in  that  which  is  another's,  who  will  give  you 
that  which  is  your  own?  13  No  servant  can  serve  two  mas- 
ters: for  either  he  will  hate  the  one,  and  love  the  other;  or  else 
he  will  hold  to  one,  and  despise  the  other.  Ye  cannot  serve 
God  and  mammon. 

The  parable  of  the  Unrighteous  Steward  is  often  re- 
garded as  the  most  perplexing  of  all  the  parables  of  our 
Lord.  It  seems  to  picture  a  man  who  robbed  his  master 
and  received  his  master's  praise  and  was  pointed  to  by 
Jesus  as  an  example  for  his  followers;  further,  it  seems  to 
indicate  that  a  place  in  heaven  can  be  purchased  with 
money.  A  more  careful  reading  shows  that  the  praise  was 
bestowed,  not  for  dishonesty,  but  for  prudence  and  fore- 
sight, that  our  Lord  would  have  his  followers  imitate  these 
good  qualities  in  a  bad  man,  and  further  that  it  is  possible 
to  use  wealth  so  generously  as  to  secure  endless  satisfaction 
and  joy. 

.  The  story  is  that  of  a  steward  or  a  trustee  who  was  in 
charge  of  the  property  of  a  rich  landowner.  Report  had 
reached  his  master  of  the  extravagance  and  dishonesty  of 
this  servant.  An  account  was  demanded  and  he  was  cer- 
tain to  lose  his  position.  However,  he  seized  on  the  op- 
portunity which  was  still  his  so  to  use  the  wealth  intrusted 
to  him  as  to  secure  friends  who  would  provide  a  home  for 
him  when  his  stewardship  had  been  lost. 

The  story  is  intended  to  illustrate  the  stewardship  of 
wealth.  No  money  is  really  owned  by  a  follower  of  Christ ; 
it  is  simply  intrusted  to  him  to  be  wisely  used  in  accord- 
ance with  the  will  of  the  Master.  For  its  use  a  strict  ac- 
count must  some  day  be  made.  It  will,  therefore,  be  the 
part  of  wisdom  and  of  prudence  so  to  use  that  which  is  now 


148    JOURNEYS  TOWARD  JERUSALEM  Luke  16:  14-18 

intrusted  that  in  the  eternity  to  come  there  will  be  no  re- 
gret but  only  joy  for  the  way  in  which  wealth  was  employed. 
In  the  parable  the  steward  was  guilty  of  fraud,  as  he  re- 
duced the  debts  of  those  who  owed  money  to  his  master. 
He  was  really  using  for  his  future  benefit  money  which  was 
not  his  own.  Of  course  the  Christian  is  to  act  with  scrupu- 
lous honesty;  nevertheless,  as  he  benefits  others  by  his 
generous  gifts,  he  really  is  using  money  which  belongs  to 
the  Lord,  but  of  course  he  is  using  it  in  accordance  with  the 
will  of  his  Master. 

In  applying  the  parable,  Jesus  indicated  that  the  right 
use  of  money,  which  seeks  the  welfare  of  others,  applies  not 
only  to  the  rich  but  also  to  the  poor,  "He  that  is  faithful  in 
a  very  little  is  faithful  also  in  much." 

Jesus  further  indicated  that  the  stewardship  which  all 
Christians  now  enjoy  is  a  training  for  larger  service  in  the  life 
to  come.  "If  therefore  ye  have  not  been  faithful  in  the  un- 
righteous mammon,  who  will  commit  to  your  trust  the 
true  riches?" 

The  motive  which  inspires  fidelity  as  stewards  is  that  of 
love.  The  difficulty  with  the  dishonest  servant  was  that 
he  was  disloyal  to  his  master  and  was  really  seeking  to 
serve  himself.  One  who  really  loves  his  Lord  will  be  faith- 
ful in  the  use  of  that  which  is  intrusted  to  him.  The  dan- 
ger of  stewards  is  that  of  divided  allegiance.  "No  servant 
can  serve  two  masters:  for  either  he  will  hate  the  one,  and 
love  the  other;  or  else  he  will  hold  to  one,  and  despise  the 
other.     Ye  cannot  serve  God  and  mammon." 

7.  The  Rich  Man  and  Lazarus.     Ch.  16  :  14-31 

14  And  the  Pharisees,  who  were  lovers  of  money,  heard  all 
these  things;  and  they  scoffed  at  him.  15  And  he  said  unto 
them,  Ye  are  they  that  justify  yourselves  in  the  sight  of  men ; 
but  God  knoweth  your  hearts :  for  that  which  is  exalted  among 
men  is  an  abomination  in  the  sight  of  God.  16  The  law  ana 
the  prophets  were  until  John:  from  that  time  the  gospel  of  the 
kingdom  of  God  is  preached,  and  every  man  entereth  violently 
into  it.  17  But  it  is  easier  for  heaven  and  earth  to  pass  away, 
than  for  one  tittle  of  the  law  to  fall. 

18  Every  one  that  putteth  away  his  wife,  and  marrieth  an- 


Luke  16:  19-31     THE  SECOND  STAGES  149 

other,  committeth  adultry:  and  he  that  marrieth  one  that  is 
put  away  from  a  husband  committeth  adultry. 

19  Now  there  was  a  certain  rich  man,  and  he  was  clothed 
in  purple  and  fine  linen,  faring  sumptuously  every  day:  20 
and  a  certain  beggar  named  Lazarus  was  laid  at  his  gate,  full 
of  sores,  21  and  desiring  to  be  fed  with  the  crumbs  that  fell 
from  the  rich  man's  table ;  yea,  even  the  dogs  came  and  licked 
his  sores.  22  And  it  came  to  pass,  that  the  beggar  died,  and 
that  he  was  carried  away  by  the  angels  into  Abraham's 
bosom :  and  the  rich  man  also  died,  and  was  buried.  23  And  in 
Hades  he  lifted  up  his  eyes,  being  in  torments,  and  seeth 
Abraham  afar  off,  and  Lazarus  in  his  bosom.  24  And  he  cried 
and  said,  Father  Abraham,  have  mercy  on  me,  and  send  Laza- 
rus, that  he  may  dip  the  tip  of  his  finger  in  water,  and  cool  my 
tongue ;  for  I  am  in  anguish  in  this  flame.  25  But  Abraham 
said,  Son,  remember  that  thou  in  thy  lifetime  receivedst  thy 
good  things,  and  Lazarus  in  like  manner  evil  things :  but  now 
here  he  is  comforted,  and  thou  art  in  anguish.  26  And  besides 
all  this,  between  us  and  you  there  is  a  great  gulf  fixed,  that 
they  that  would  pass  from  hence  to  you  may  not  be  able,  and 
that  none  may  cross  over  from  thence  to  us.  27  And  he  said, 
I  pray  thee  therefore,  father,  that  thou  wouldst  send  him  to 
my  father's  house;  28  for  I  have  five  brethren;  that  he  may 
testify  unto  them,  lest  they  also  come  into  this  place  of  tor- 
ment. 29  But  Abraham  saith,  They  have  Moses  and  the 
prophets;  let  them  hear  them.  30  And  he  said,  Nay,  father 
Abraham:  but  if  one  go  to  them  from  the  dead,  they  will  re- 
pent. 31  And  he  said  unto  him,  If  they  hear  not  Moses  and 
the  prophets,  neither  will  they  be  persuaded,  if  one  rise  from 
the  dead. 

The  parable  of  the  Unrighteous  Steward  was  intended  to 
teach  the  possibility  of  the  right  use  of  wealth.  The  par- 
able of  the  Rich  Man  and  Lazarus  was  designed  by  our 
Lord  to  warn  his  hearers  against  its  abuse.  Between  the 
two  parables  Luke  records  a  number  of  sayings,  the  con- 
nection of  which  cannot  be  determined  beyond  question 
but  they  seem  to  have  been  quoted  by  him  as  an  introduc- 
tion to  the  second  of  these  parables,  vs.  14-18.  They 
contain  a  rebuke  of  the  Pharisees  for  their  besetting  sin  of 
avarice  and  a  statement  of  the  unfailing  authority  of  the 
Law,  the  letter  of  which  they  observed,  but  by  the  spirit  of 
which  they  were  condemned. 

These  Pharisees  ridiculed  our  Lord  for  teaching  the  ab- 


150     JOURNEYS  TOWARD  JERUSALEM  Luke  16:  19-31 

solute  necessity  of  generosity  and  benevolence  and  the 
unselfish  use  of  wealth.  Our  Lord  replied  that  while  these 
enemies  of  his  might  receive  the  approval  of  men,  God  read 
their  hearts  and  many  who  received  human  praise  were  but 
abominable  in  the  sight  of  God.  Jesus  stated  that  while 
the  gospel  message  did  differ  from  the  Law  and  while  many 
were  eagerly  accepting  its  blessed  privileges,  it  did  not  set 
aside  the  Law,  but  only  showed  how  its  demands  could  be 
met.  When  he  stated  that  "one  tittle  of  the  law"  could 
not  fall,  he  referred  to  the  minute  projections  which  distin- 
guish Hebrew  letters,  and  meant  that  the  slightest  re- 
quirement of  the  Law  was  sacred  and  abiding.  He  illus- 
trated these  truths  by  a  reference  to  the  Seventh  Com- 
mandment, and  insisted  that  adultery  did  not  lose  its 
sinful  character  because  of  any  interpretation  of  the  Law 
such  as  was  put  upon  it  by  those  who  were  teaching  lax 
theories  of  divorce.  It  was  still  sinful,  even  when  justified 
by  civil  enactment.  Thus  Jesus  was  reminding  the  Phari- 
sees that  the  Law  might  abide  and  be  sacred  even  when 
legalists  who  observed  its  letter  were  condemned. 

In  the  parable  of  the  Rich  Man  and  Lazarus,  Jesus  by 
no  means  taught  that  it  is  sinful  to  be  rich  or  that  the  poor 
are  all  saved.  He  did  mean  to  suggest  the  solemn  peril  of 
the  selfish  use  of  wealth.  The  sin  of  the  rich  man  did  not 
consist  either  in  the  way  in  which  he  had  acquired  his 
wealth  or  in  the  fact  that  he  possessed  it,  nor  yet  in  any 
breach  of  moral  law,  but  in  the  plain  statement  that  while 
he  was  living  in  selfish  luxury  one  who  was  in  sore  need  lay 
unrelieved  at  his  door.  The  rich  man  is  commonly  called 
Dives,  the  Latin  name  for  "a  man  of  wealth."  Lazarus  is 
the  only  person  in  any  parable  of  our  Lord  to  whom  a  spe- 
cial name  is  given.  It  is  just  possible  that  the  name  was 
intended  to  indicate  the  character  of  the  man  as  one  who 
trusted  in  the  help  of  God.  The  story  shows  not  only  the 
contrast  between  the  two  men  in  the  present  life,  but  the 
still  greater  contrast  in  the  life  that  is  to  come.  The  pic- 
ture is  not  to  be  interpreted  with  absurd  literalness;  but  it 
does  contain  a  serious  warning,  and  behind  its  figures  of 
speech  are  solemn  realities.  It  does  indicate  the  remorse 
and  the  anguish  which  forever  may  be  experienced  by  those 


Luke  17: 1-5         THE  SECOND  STAGES  151 

who  upon  earth  make  only  a  selfish  and  heartless  use  of 
wealth  and  position  and  opportunity.  The  consequences 
are  shown  to  be  as  endless  as  they  are  distressing.  A  time 
of  reversal  is  to  come,  a  time  of  judgment  and  retribution. 

It  is  evident  that  Jesus  was  especially  warning  the 
Pharisees;  the  rich  man  was  a  representative  of  this  class 
who  were  notorious  for  their  scrupulous  observance  of  law 
and  for  their  lives  of  selfish  luxury  and  indulgence.  The 
rich  man  addressed  Abraham  as  his  father,  and  was  ad- 
dressed by  Abraham  as  his  son.  This  is  an  intimation  that 
the  most  orthodox  Jew  might  be  lost  and  come  at  last  to  a 
place  of  torment. 

As  the  rich  man  requested  that  a  special  warning  be  sent 
to  his  brethren,  it  is  possible  that  he  was  expressing  his 
sympathy;  more  probably  he  was  making  an  excuse  and 
intimating  that  had  he  been  given  more  light  he  would  not 
have  so  grievously  sinned.  The  reply  is,  therefore,  very 
significant,  "If  they  hear  not  Moses  and  the  prophets, 
neither  will  they  be  persuaded,  if  one  rise  from  the  dead." 
It  was  an  answer  to  the  Pharisees  for  their  continual  re- 
quest that  Jesus  should  give  some  striking  sign  by  which 
they  would  recognize  his  divine  mission.  Our  Lord  indi- 
cated that  a  striking  prodigy  or  miracle  will  never  con- 
vince those  whose  hearts  are  not  right  with  God.  He  de- 
clared further  that  the  Law  and  the  Prophets  plainly  set 
forth  the  divine  requirement  of  love.  One  who  fails  to  ob- 
serve this  supreme  law  in  the  use  of  wealth  and  of  all  simi- 
lar opportunities  and  privileges  is  under  condemnation  and 
is  in  peril  of  eternal  pain. 

8.  Warnings  to  the  Disciples.     Ch.  17  :  1-10 

1  And  he  said  unto  his  disciples,  It  is  impossible  but  that 
occasions  of  stumbling  should  come;  but  woe  unto  him, 
through  whom  they  come !  2  It  were  well  for  him  if  a  mill- 
stone were  hanged  about  his  neck,  and  he  were  thrown  into 
the  sea,  rather  than  that  he  should  cause  one  of  these  little 
ones  to  stumble.  3  Take  heed  to  yourselves :  if  thy  brother 
sin,  rebuke  him;  and  if  he  repent,  forgive  him.  4  And  if  he 
sin  against  thee  seven  times  in  the  day,  and  seven  times  turn 
again  to  thee,  saying,  I  repent;  thou  shalt  forgive  him. 

5  And  the  apostles  said  unto  the  Lord,  Increase  our  faith. 


152     JOURNEYS  TOWARD  JERUSALEM   Luke  17:6-10 

6  And  the  Lord  said,  If  ye  had  faith  as  a  grain  of  mustard  seed, 
ye  would  say  unto  this  sycamine  tree,  Be  thou  rooted  up,  and 
be  thou  planted  in  the  sea;  and  it  would  obey  you.  7  But  who 
is  there  of  you,  having  a  servant  plowing  or  keeping  sheep, 
that  will  say  unto  him,  when  he  is  come  in  from  the  field,  Come 
straightway  and  sit  down  to  meat;  8  and  will  not  rather  say 
unto  him,  Make  ready  wherewith  I  may  sup,  and  gird  thyself, 
and  serve  me,  till  I  have  eaten  and  drunken;  and  afterward 
thou  shalt  eat  and  drink?  9  Doth  he  thank  the  servant  because 
he  did  the  things  that  were  commanded?  10  Even  so  ye  also, 
when  ye  shall  have  done  all  the  things  that  are  commanded 
you,  say,  We  are  unprofitable  servants;  we  have  done  that 
which  it  was  our  duty  to  do. 

After  the  severe  rebuke  given  by  our  Lord  to  the  Phari- 
sees in  view  of  their  selfish  abuse  of  wealth,  Luke  records 
four  apparently  disconnected  warnings  given  to  the  dis- 
ciples. The  first,  vs.  1,  2,  was  against  the  peril  of  causing 
others  to  sin.  In  this  world  of  selfishness  and  of  evil  desire, 
our  Lord  declared,  it  is  inevitable  that  such  offenses  will  be 
committed,  but  he  pronounced  a  solemn  woe  upon  anyone 
guilty  of  this  grievous  fault.  He  declared  that  it  would  be 
better  for  such  a  person  to  be  drowned  in  the  sea  rather 
than  to  allow  himself  to  become  guilty  of  such  a  sin.  The 
death  of  the  body  is  far  preferable  to  the  death  of  the  soul. 
Therefore,  Jesus  warned  his  followers  lest  they  might  lead 
anyone  astray  or  cause  anyone  to  stumble,  particularly 
such  as  might  be  in  years  or  experience  less  mature  than 
themselves.  No  age  of  the  Church  has  been  without  its 
tragedies  in  which  power  and  influence  have  been  selfishly 
used  to  mislead  innocent  souls,  and  no  life  is  beyond  the 
possibility  of  placing  stumblingblocks  in  the  paths  of  others 
or'  of  exerting  even  unconsciously  influences  which  may 
cause  others  to  sin. 

In  the  second  warning,  here  recorded  by  Luke,  vs.  3,  4, 
Jesus  guarded  his  disciples  against  lack  of  charity.  He 
intimated  that  his  followers  should  be  ready  always  to  for- 
give. He  did  not  advise  weakness  or  indifference  to  sin; 
he  suggested  that  a  brother  who  offends  may  deserve  and 
should  receive  a  rebuke.  It  is  proper  that  he  should  be 
made  to  feel  and  to  appreciate  his  fault.  Nevertheless,  he 
is  to  be  treated  with  kindness  and  if  he  sincerely  repents,  he 


Luke  17:6-10       THE  SECOND  STAGES  153 

is  to  be  forgiven  freely.  Even  if  he  repeats  his  sin  with 
frequency,  no  revenge  is  to  be  harbored  against  him.  Jesus 
suggested  that  his  offense  might  be  committed  "seven 
times  in  the  day,"  by  which  he  meant  an  unlimited  repeti- 
tion of  the  fault;  even  then  if  his  repentance  is  sincere, 
forgiveness  must  not  be  denied. 

The  twelve  apostles,  probably  in  view  of  the  particular 
responsibilities  which  rested  upon  them,  turned  to  their 
Master  with  the  petition,  "Lord,  increase  our  faith."  The 
reply  contains  a  solemn  warning,  that  there  is  need  of  such 
increase,  a  far  greater  need  than  the  petitioners  realized. 
Nevertheless,  there  is  also  in  the  reply  a  gracious  promise. 
They  were  lovingly  rebuked  for  their  lack  of  faith,  but  they 
were  reassured  by  a  revelation  of  the  unlimited  power  of 
faith.  Our  Lord  asserted  that  if  they  possessed  real  faith, 
even  so  small  as  to  be  compared  with  one  of  the  most  mi- 
nute objects  in  nature,  namely,  "a  grain  of  mustard  seed," 
they  would  be  able  by  a  word  to  accomplish  incredible  re- 
sults, speaking  figuratively,  to  cause  a  mulberry  tree  to  be 
rooted  up  and  planted  in  the  sea.  The  followers  of  Christ 
to-day  need  to  be  reminded  of  these  same  truths,  namely, 
of  the  narrow  limits  to  which  faith  is  usually  confined  and 
the  unbounded  possibilities  which  might  be  theirs  if  their 
trust  in  Christ  were  more  simple,  more  unquestioning,  and 
more  real.  Vs.  5,  6. 

The  fourth  warning  here  recorded  rebukes  the  pride,  the 
self-confidence,  the  desire  for  praise  and  for  reward,  which 
too  often  characterize  the  followers  of  Christ.  Jesus 
taught  that  no  human  works,  however  perfect,  give  a  claim 
upon  God,  but  are  merely  the  fulfillment  of  duty.  This 
truth  is  set  forth  in  the  parable  of  the  Unprofitable  Servant. 
Vs.  7-10.  The  word  "unprofitable"  does  not  mean  worth- 
less, but  merely  implies  one  who  has  not  gone  beyond  his 
obligation  or  duty.  The  picture  is  that  of  a  slave  who  has 
labored  faithfully  in  the  field  and  who  when  the  day  is 
done  merely  continues  in  the  evening  to  accomplish  his  ap- 
pointed tasks.  His  master  does  not  show  any  particular 
gratitude  to  one  who  is  doing  that  which  he  is  expected  to 
do.  He  does  not  especially  praise  his  servant  for  doing 
the  things  commanded. 


154    JOURNEYS  TOWARD  JERUSALEM  Luke  17: 11-19 

So  in  the  case  of  every  man,  a  life  of  the  most  blameless 
holiness  and  love  is  no  more  than  God  requires.  It  is  no 
ground  on  which  a  special  reward  can  be  demanded.  It  is 
no  reason  for  expecting  promotion  or  praise.  To  do  less 
would  be  to  neglect  an  obvious  duty,  and  to  do  more  than 
duty  is  impossible.  While  this  parable  rebukes  all  pride 
and  cuts  off  all  merit  of  works,  it  is  nevertheless  true  that 
in  other  parables  our  Lord  taught  the  certainty  of  rewards 
which  he  is  to  grant  faithful  servants  not  as  a  matter  of 
compulsion  on  his  part  but  in  loving  grace. 

C.  THE  LAST  STAGES.     Chs.  17:  11  to  19:  28 
1.  The  Samaritan  Leper.     Ch.  17  :  11-19 

1 1  And  it  came  to  pass,  as  they  were  on  the  way  to  Jerusa- 
lem, that  he  was  passing  along  the  borders  of  Samaria  and 
Galilee.  12  And  as  he  entered  into  a  certain  village,  there 
met  him  ten  men  that  were  lepers,  who  stood  afar  off:  13  and 
they  lifted  up  their  voices,  saying,  Jesus,  Master,  have  mercy 
on  us.  14  And  when  he  saw  them,  he  said  unto  them,  Go  and 
show  yourselves  unto  the  priests.  And  it  came  to  pass,  as  they 
went,  they  were  cleansed.  15  And  one  of  them,  when  he  saw 
that  he  was  healed,  turned  back,  with  a  loud  voice  glorifying 
God;  16  and  he  fell  upon  his  face  at  his  feet,  giving  him 
thanks:  and  he  was  a  Samaritan.  17  And  Jesus  answering 
said,  Were  not  the  ten  cleansed?  but  where  are  the  nine?  18 
Were  there  none  found  that  returned  to  give  glory  to  God, 
save  this  stranger?  19  And  he  said  unto  him,  Arise,  and  go  thy 
way:  thy  faith  hath  made  thee  whole. 

The  healing  of  ten  lepers  begins  the  closing  cycle  of  inci- 
dents which  marked  the  last  journeys  of  Jesus  toward  Jeru- 
salem. It  is  quite  like  Luke  to  record  this  miracle,  for  the 
chief  feature  of  the  story  is  the  gratitude  and  the  blessing 
of  a  Samaritan,  and  Luke  is  ever  describing  Jesus  as  the 
Saviour,  not  only  of  the  Jews,  but  of  the  whole  human  race. 

There  is  in  this  miracle,  however,  another  peculiar  fea- 
ture; before  the  lepers  were  cured  they  were  bidden  to  go 
to  the  priests  and  to  declare  that  the  cure  had  been  effected, 
and  "As  they  went,  they  were  cleansed."  It  required  no 
little  faith  to  start  upon  that  journey;  but  they  started, 
and  their  faith  was  rewarded.  So  to-day  when  men  come 
to  Christ  with  their  request  to  be  delivered  from  sin,  he 


Luke  17: 20-22         THE  LAST  STAGES  155 

commands  them  to  act  as  though  the  petition  already 
were  granted,  and  with  the  act  of  faith  comes  the  answer  to 
the  prayer.  The  command  of  Christ  involved  a  promise 
and  upon  his  promises  we  can  always  rely  with  absolute 
safety. 

One  of  the  lepers  "When  he  saw  that  he  was  healed, 
turned  back,  with  a  loud  voice  glorifying  God ;  and  he  fell 
upon  his  face  at  his  feet,  giving  thanks:  and  he  was  a 
Samaritan."  There  is  something  of  surprise  and  sadness  in 
the  question  of  Jesus  as  he  saw  this  restored  leper  lying  at 
his  feet:  "Were  not  the  ten  cleansed?  but  where  are  the 
nine?  Were  there  none  found  that  returned  to  give  glory 
to  God,  save  this  stranger?"  It  is  always  surprising  to 
find  that  ingratitude  is  so  common  among  men.  Nine  out 
of  ten  probably  will  forget  every  favor  they  may  receive. 
It  is  rare  that  one  realizes  and  acknowledges  his  debt. 
Still  more  sad  it  is  to  see  so  few  among  those  who  have  ac- 
cepted the  salvation  of  Christ  showing  real  gratitude  in 
lives  of  joyous  service  and  declaring  that  they  are  con- 
strained to  live  for  him  who  died  for  them. 

There  was,  however,  for  the  Samaritan  a  glad  word  of 
blessed  assurance  and  promise,  "Arise,  and  go  thy  way: 
thy  faith  hath  made  thee  whole."  Jesus  either  meant  to 
call  attention  to  the  means  of  the  cure,  namely  faith  in 
himself,  and  so  to  nurture  that  germ  of  new  life  into  fuller 
trust  in  his  divine  person;  or  he  meant  to  say  that  the 
faith  which  first  had  secured  the  healing  of  the  body  and 
which  was  manifested  in  the  man's  return  and  his  gratitude 
now  secured  for  him  the  salvation  of  his  soul.  In  either 
case  we  are  reminded  that  gratitude  is  often  found  where 
least  it  is  expected;  that  it  is  always  pleasing  to  our  Lord; 
and  that  it  is  the  certain  condition  of  further  blessedness 
and  joy. 

2.  The  Coming  of  the  Kingdom.     Ch.  17  :  20-37 

20  And  being  asked  by  the  Pharisees,  when  the  kingdom 
of  God  cometh,  he  answered  them  and  said,  The  kingdom  of 
God  cometh  not  with  observation:  21  neither  shall  they  say, 
Lo,  here !  or,  There !  for  lo,  the  kingdom  of  God  is  within  you. 

22  And  he  said  unto  the  disciples,  The  days  will  come,  when 
ye  shall  desire  to  see  one  of  the  days  of  the  Son  of  man,  and 


156     JOURNEYS  TOWARD  JERUSALEM  Luke  17:  23-37 

ye  shall  not  see  it.  23  And  they  shall  say  to  you,  Lo,  there !  Lo, 
here!  go  not  away,  nor  follow  after  them:  24  for  as  the  light- 
ning, when  it  lighteneth  out  of  the  one  part  under  the  heaven, 
shineth  unto  the  other  part  under  heaven;  so  shall  the 
Son  of  man  be  in  his  day.  25  But  first  must  he  suffer  many 
things  and  be  rejected  of  this  generation.  26  And  as  it  came 
to  pass  in  the  days  of  Noah,  even  so  shall  it  be  also  in  the  days 
of  the  Son  of  man.  27  They  ate,  they  drank,  they  married, 
they  were  given  in  marriage,  until  the  day  that  Noah  entered 
into  the  ark,  and  the  flood  came,  and  destroyed  them  all.  28 
Likewise  even  as  it  came  to  pass  in  the  days  of  Lot;  they  ate, 
they  drank,  they  bought,  they  sold,  they  planted,  they  builded; 
29  but  in  the  day  that  Lot  went  out  from  Sodom  it  rained  fire 
and  brimstone  from  heaven,  and  destroyed  them  all :  30  after 
the  same  manner  shall  it  be  in  the  day  that  the  Son  of  man  is 
revealed.  31  In  that  day,  he  that  shall  be  on  the  housetop, 
and  his  goods  in  the  house,  let  him  not  go  down  to  take  them 
away:  and  let  him  that  is  in  the  field  likewise  not  return  back. 
32  Remember  Lot's  wife.  33  Whosoever  shall  seek  to  gain  his 
life  shall  lose  it:  but  whosoever  shall  lose  his  life  shall  pre- 
serve it.  34  I  say  unto  you,  In  that  night  there  shall  be  two 
men  on  one  bed ;  the  one  shall  be  taken,  and  the  other  shall  be 
left.  35  There  shall  be  two  women  grinding  together;  the  one 
shall  be  taken,  and  the  other  shall  be  left.  37  And  they  an- 
swering say  unto  him,  Where,  Lord?  And  he  said  unto  them, 
Where  the  body  isy  thither  will  the  eagles  also  be  gathered 
together. 

Either  in  mere  curiosity  or  with  a  desire  for  debate  the 
Pharisees  approached  Jesus  with  a  question  as  to  when  the 
Kingdom  of  God  would  come.  Jesus  replied  that  it  would 
not  come  in  such  manner  as  they  were  expecting,  nor  would 
it  appear  as  a  visible  development  of  which  they  could  say, 
"It  is  here,"  or  "there,"  for,  in  the  person  of  the  King,  it 
was  already  "in  the  midst"  of  them  and  they  did  not  recog- 
nize it.  Thus  when  Jesus  said,  "The  kingdom  of  God  is 
within  you, "he  could  hardly  have  meant  that  it  was  in  the 
hearts  of  the  hostile  and  godless  Pharisees;  nor  is  the  famil- 
iar and  beautiful  conception  of  the  Kingdom  as  "a  reign  of 
God  in  human  hearts"  thus  expressed  in  the  New  Testa- 
ment. Jesus  more  probably  meant  that  in  his  own  person 
and  work  the  Kingdom  was  present.  The  essence  of  this 
Kingdom  is  always  spiritual  and  consists  in  "righteousness 


Luke  17: 23-37         THE  LAST  STAGES  157 

and  peace  and  joy."  It  is  to  have,  however,  a  future, 
visible  manifestation  at  the  appearing  of  the  King.  The 
question  as  to  the  time  and  manner  of  its  coming  is  not  to 
be  asked  either  to  satisfy  mere  curiosity  or  to  arouse  con- 
troversy; for  men  of  the  world,  like  the  Pharisees,  the  im- 
portant fact  is  that  Christ,  who  is  ever  a  divine  and  spirit- 
ual presence,  is  to  be  accepted  as  Master  and  Lord;  his  serv- 
ice always  issues  in  new  and  more  blessed  life. 

To  the  disciples,  who  trusted  him,  it  was  possible  for 
Jesus  to  answer  more  in  detail  the  question  as  to  the  coming 
of  the  Kingdom  which  is  to  be  inaugurated  in  splendor  on 
his  return.  He  told  them  that  they  must  expect  first  a 
period  of  long  delay  in  which  their  weary  hearts  would 
often  yearn  for  a  single  day  of  the  coming  glory  and  that 
many  deceivers  would  point  to  places  and  times  of  his  ap- 
pearing. However,  when  he  did  appear  it  would  be  with 
suddenness  and  unmistakable  splendor,  like  the  lightning 
which  in  an  instant  flashes  across  the  whole  heaven. 

First,  however,  this  King  who  will  then  come  to  reign 
must  suffer  and  die;  and  the  world  which  has  rejected  him 
will  not  be  expecting  his  return.  When  he  does  reappear 
the  race  will  be  in  the  same  carnal  security,  careless  and 
indifferent  and  absorbed  in  the  usual  occupations  of  life, 
as  were  the  men  in  the  time  of  the  Flood  or  the  inhabitants 
of  Sodom  in  the  day  of  its  doom. 

On  the  contrary,  those  who  are  to  share  the  glories  of  the 
Kingdom  must  be  looking  for  their  returning  Lord.  Their 
proper  attitude  of  mind  is  pictured  by  a  series  of  acts;  one 
who  is  on  the  housetop  is  not  to  come  down  to  secure  his 
goods;  one  in  the  field  will  not  return  to  his  house;  they 
will  not  look  backward,  but  will  go  forth  eagerly  to 
meet  their  Master  in  whom  alone  is  their  safety  and  their 
hope. 

It  will  be  a  time  of  certain  separations  even  for  those 
most  closely  related ;  for  example,  two  men  will  be  sleeping 
in  the  same  bed:  one  will  be  taken  and  the  other  left;  two 
women  will  be  sharing  a  common  task:  one  will  be  taken 
and  the  other  left.  This  word  "taken"  is  the  same  beauti- 
ful expression  found  in  the  Gospel  of  John,  where  is 
recorded   Jesus'    promise,  "I  .  .  .  will  receive  you    unto 


158      JOURNEYS  TOWARD  JERUSALEM     Luke  18:  1-8 

myself."    It  speaks  of  the  peace  and  joy  and  blessedness  of 
those  who  gladly  welcome  the  coming  of  the  King. 

At  a  question  from  the  disciples  as  to  where  such  judg- 
ment would  take  place,  our  Lord  replied  that  it  will  be 
universal ;  wherever  the  carcass  is  there  the  vultures  will  be 
gathered  together;  where  there  is  corruption  and  sin,  there 
will  judgment  fall.  Yet  this  judgment  will  be  followed  by 
the  splendor  of  the  Kingdom  for  which  the  followers  of 
Christ  watch  and  pray  and  labor  and  wait. 

3.  The  Unrighteous  Judge.     Ch.  18  :  1-8 

1  And  he  spake  a  parable  unto  them  to  the  end  that  they 
ought  always  to  pray,  and  not  to  faint;  2  saying,  There  was  in 
a  city  a  judge,  who  feared  not  God,  and  regarded  not  man:  3 
and  there  was  a  widow  in  that  city ;  and  she  came  oft  unto  him, 
saying,  Avenge  me  of  mine  adversary.  4  And  he  would  not 
for  a  while:  but  afterward  he  said  within  himself,  Though  I 
fear  not  God,  nor  regard  man;  5  yet  because  this  widow  trou- 
bleth  me,  I  will  avenge  her,  lest  she  wear  me  out  by  her  contin- 
ual coming.  6  And  the  Lord  said,  Hear  what  the  unrighteous 
judge  saith.  7  And  shall  not  God  avenge  his  elect,  that  cry  to 
him  day  and  night,  and  yet  he  is  longsuffering  over  them?  8 
I  say  unto  you,  that  he  will  avenge  them  speedily.  Neverthe- 
less, when  the  Son  of  man  cometh,  shall  he  find  faith  on  the 
earth? 

The  parable  of  the  Unrighteous  Judge  was  spoken  in 
direct  connection  with  the  instructions  given  to  the  disciples 
by  their  Master  in  reference  to  his  return.  It  is,  there- 
fore, not  merely  a  general  exhortation  to  prayer,  but  to 
prayer  for  the  coming  of  Christ,  and  more  specifically  to  the 
confident  expectation  of  this  event  and  of  the  blessedness 
which  will  result. 

It  does,  however,  contain  a  very  real  encouragement  to 
prayer  and  for  all  Christians  and  at  all  times.  The  argu- 
ment is  this:  If  an  unjust  judge,  who  has  regard  for  neither 
God  nor  man,  would  yield  to  the  importunity  of  an  un- 
known widow  because  she  feared  that  he  would  annoy  him 
by  her  repeated  requests,  how  much  more  will  a  just  God 
be  ready  to  reward  the  persevering  petitions  of  his  own 
loved  ones  who  cry  to  him  continually! 

In  spite  of  all  the  mysteries  involved,  the  followers  of 


Luke  18:9,10  THE  LAST  STAGES  159 

Christ  should  pray  without  ceasing,  and  with  all  importu- 
nity should  present  their  petitions  with  the  assurance  that 
God  does  hear  and  in  his  own  time  will  answer. 

The  particular  force  of  the  parable  relates,  however,  to 
the  Church  in  her  conscious  weakness  and  loneliness,  in 
the  age  between  the  crucifixion  and  the  second  coming  of 
Christ.  Jesus  had  just  given  a  description  of  the  world  at 
the  time  of  his  return.  He  had  pictured  the  prevalent 
carelessness  and  indifference  and  absorption  in  earthly 
pursuits,  and  now  he  wished  to  encourage  his  followers  to 
be  patient  and  to  turn  their  hearts  toward  him  in  expecta- 
tion and  prayer.  The  widow  in  the  parable  is  not  so  much 
requesting  that  an  enemy  should  be  punished  as  that  she 
should  be  given  her  property  rights  for  which  she  is  apply- 
ing to  the  judge.  So  the  Church  is  pictured,  net  simply  as 
crying  for  vengeance  upon  persecutors,  but  rather  as  long- 
ing and  praying  for  all  those  blessings  which  have  been 
promised  and  which  will  be  received  at  the  coming  of  the 
Lord. 

There  is  a  deep  mournfulness  in  the  question 
which  Jesus  asked  after  expounding  his  parable,  "Never- 
theless, when  the  Son  of  man  cometh,  shall  he  find  faith  on 
the  earth?"  Will  there  still  remain  those  who  are  true  to 
Christ,  who  love  him  and  are  looking  for  his  return?  The 
very  question  is  a  solemn  warning  against  the  peril  of  being 
overcome  by  prevalent  worldliness  and  unbelief.  How- 
ever, the  answer  is  not  to  be  given  in  a  spirit  of  hopelessness 
and  pessimism  and  despair.  The  Church  will  always  have 
her  adversaries,  she  ever  will  need  to  be  on  her  guard 
against  the  worldly  influences  by  which  she  is  surrounded. 
However,  there  will  always  be  those  who  are  true  to  him 
who  has  chosen  them  out  of  the  world,  and  after  long  days 
of  weary  waiting  their  hearts  will  rejoice  in  the  sudden  ap- 
pearing of  the  righteous  judge  who  will  bring  with  him 
glories  brighter  than  they  have  dared  to  ask  or  to  expect. 

4.  The  Pharisee  and  the  Publican.     Ch.  13  :  9-14 

9  And  he  spake  also  this  parable  unto  certain  who  trusted 
in  themselves  that  they  were  righteous,  and  set  all  others  at 
nought:  10  Two  men  went  up  into  the  temple  to  pray;  the  one 


160    JOURNEYS  TOWARD  JERUSALEM  Luke  18: 11-14 

a  Pharisee,  and  the  other  a  publican.  11  The  Pharisee  stood 
and  prayed  thus  with  himself,  God,  I  thank  thee,  that  I  am 
not  as  the  rest  of  men,  extortioners,  unjust,  adulterers,  or 
even  as  this  publican.  12  I  fast  twice  in  the  week ;  I  give  tithes 
of  all  that  I  get.  13  But  the  publican,  standing  afar  off,  would 
not  lift  up  so  much  as  his  eyes  unto  heaven,  but  smote  his 
breast,  saying,  God,  be  thou  merciful  to  me  a  sinner.  14  I 
say  unto  you,  This  man  went  down  to  his  house  justified 
rather  than  the  other: for  every  one  that  exalteth  himself  shall 
be  humbled :  but  he  that  humbleth  himself  shall  be  exalted. 

The  parable  of  the  Pharisee  and  the  Publican  was  de- 
signed to  teach  humility  not  only  in  prayer  but  in  every 
estimate  of  oneself  and  in  every  approach  to  God.  It 
further  contrasts  the  religion  of  form  with  the  religion  of 
the  heart.  It  shows  that  the  way  of  penitence  is  the  only 
path  to  pardon  and  to  peace. 

It  was  not  addressed  to  Pharisees,  although  it  is  a  severe 
exposure  of  the  hypocrisy  and  self-deception  of  Pharisa- 
ism of  every  kind.  Jesus  seems  rather  to  have  had  in  mind 
some  of  his  own  followers;  but  whatever  their  class  or  pro- 
fession, Pharisees  have  their  representatives  in  every  age 
and  land.  They  are  described  as  " certain  who  trusted  in 
themselves  that  they  were  righteous,  and  set  all  others  at 
nought." 

Such,  indeed,  was  the  Pharisee  here  described.  He  had 
gone  up  to  the  Temple  to  pray;  he  stood  in  some  conspicu- 
ous place;  he  addressed  God  but  he  uttered  no  true  prayer. 
He  began  by  saying, "I  thank  thee,"  but  he  really  addressed 
himself.  He  rejoiced  that  in  comparison  with  other  men 
he  formed  a  class  by  himself.  He  declared  all  others  to  be 
"extortioners,  unjust,  adulterers,"  and  as  an  example  of 
such  sinners  he  pointed  to  the  poor  publican  at  whom  he 
was  looking  instead  of  looking  to  God.  He  boasted  that 
he  had  refrained  from  the  sins  of  other  men  and  also  that 
he  had  performed  more  good  deeds  than  the  law  required. 
Moses  instituted  no  obligatory  fast;  but  the  Pharisee 
fasted  twice  in  the  week.  Moses  exempted  certain  things 
from  the  tithe;  the  Pharisee  had  tithed  his  entire  income. 
In  other  words,  he  had  been  better  than  God  required.  He 
had  placed  God  under  obligation  to  him.     How  little  does 


Luke  18: 15-17  THE  LAST  STAGES  161 

such  a  man  understand  the  real  holiness  of  God,  of  the  re- 
quirements of  that  law  the  essence  of  which  is  love ! 

In  striking  contrast  the  publican  was  standing  at  a  re- 
spectful distance  from  the  supposed  saint  whose  formal 
piety  had  impressed  his  fellow  men.  He  did  not  venture 
even  to  look  toward  heaven.  He  beat  upon  his  breast,  as  a 
sign  of  mourning,  and  cried  out  in  anguish,  "God,  be  thou 
merciful  to  me  a  sinner."  The  original  words  seem  to 
imply  that  he  regarded  himself  as  likewise  distinct  from  all 
other  men.  He  felt  and  confessed  himself  to  be  "the  sin- 
ner"; but  as  he  acknowledged  his  guilt  and  turned  to  God 
in  penitence,  he  was  accepted  as  righteous  in  the  sight  of 
God  and  received  pardon  and  peace. 

There  can  be  no  misunderstanding  as  to  the  lesson  which 
the  Master  wished  to  impress.  "This  man  went  down  to 
his  house  justified  rather  than  the  other."  A  sense  of 
guilt  and  a  yearning  for  pardon  and  a  cry  to  God  for  mercy 
— this  is  the  very  beginning  of  a  new  life;  and  however  far 
one  may  progress  in  holiness  there  is  ever  need  of  similar 
humility.  The  nearer  one  is  to  God,  the  more  conscious 
is  he  of  his  sinfulness  and  the  less  likely  to  boast  of  his  own 
moral  attainments.  The  more  one  acknowledges  his  un- 
worthiness,  the  better  is  he  prepared  to  serve  his  Master 
and  his  fellow  men.  The  pride  of  Pharisaism  on  the  part 
of  nations,  as  well  as  in  the  lives  of  individuals,  stands  in 
the  way  of  helpfulness  and  brotherhood  and  the  favor  of 
God.  What  is  needed  to-day  is  universal  repentance,  a 
manifestation  of  the  humble  and  the  contrite  heart;  "For 
every  one  that  exalteth  himself  shall  be  humbled;  but  he 
that  humbleth  himself  shall  be  exalted." 

5.  Jesus  Receiving  Little  Children.    Ch.  18  :  15-17 

15  And  they  were  bringing  unto  him  also  their  babes,  that 
he  should  touch  them:  but  when  the  disciples  saw  it,  they  re- 
buked them.  16  But  Jesus  called  them  unto  him  saying,  Suf- 
fer the  little  children  to  come  unto  me,  and  forbid  them  not: 
for  to  such  belongeth  the  kingdom  of  God.  17  Verily  I  say 
unto  you,  Whosoever  sh?U  not  receive  the  kingdom  of  God  as 
a  little  child,  he  shall  in  no  wise  enter  therein. 

This  charming  picture  of  Jesus  blessing  little  children  is 


162     JOURNEYS  TOWARD  JERUSALEM    Luke  18:  15-17 

sketched  by  Matthew  and  Mark  as  well  as  by  Luke.  Its 
attractiveness  has  given  it  a  place  on  the  canvas  of  many 
an  artist.  Its  symbolic  message  is  being  accepted  by  the 
modern  Church,  "They  were  bringing  unto  him  also  their 
babes."  The  parents  were  probably  carrying  these  children 
in  their  arms.  They  realized  that  not  only  the  lepers 
and  the  infirm  needed  the  touch  of  Christ,  but  that  the 
power  of  the  Master  would  bring  blessing  to  the  children 
as  well. 

This  touch  may  properly  picture  that  personal  rela- 
tion and  spiritual  contact  with  Christ  which  to-day,  with 
equal  eagerness,  should  be  sought  for  their  children  by  all 
parents.  "When  the  disciples  saw  it,  they  rebuked  them." 
They  seemed  to  have  felt  that  children  were  too  insigni- 
ficant to  be  allowed  to  interfere  with  the  work  or  to  demand 
the  attention  of  Christ.  At  this  present  time  there  are 
many  things  which  tend  to  keep  parents  from  bringing 
their  children  to  the  Master:  custom  and  carelessness 
and  indifference  and  fear  and  diffidence;  even  friends 
seem  to  play  the  part  of  those  "disciples"  and  to  conspire 
to  prevent  and  rebuke  those  who  really  long  to  see  their 
children  brought  into  a  sanctifying  relationship  to  the 
Lord.  No  problem  of  to-day  is  more  important  than  the 
removal  of  such  barriers  and  obstacles.  The  Christian 
nurture  of  children  is  the  supreme  need  of  the  times.  "But 
Jesus  called  them  unto  him,  saying,  Suffer  the  little 
children  to  come  unto  me,  and  forbid  them  not."  This 
reply  of  the  Master  has  cast  an  unfading  halo  about  the 
faces  of  all  children.  Their  innocence  and  their  need 
made  a  special  appeal  to  the  Master.  Should  it  not  affect 
us  in  like  manner,  and  should  we  not  feel  that  no  work 
is  more  Christlike  and  none  more  blessed  than  the  care 
of  these  little  ones  whom  our  Lord  so  truly  loves?  We  are 
the  real  servants  of  our  Master  only  as  we  feel  the  appeal 
of  childhood  and  as  we  seek  to  supply  to  children  their 
physical  and  mental  and  spiritual  needs. 

"For  to  such  belongeth  the  kingdom  of  God."  It  is 
theirs  by  right.  It  belongs  not  only  to  those  particular 
children  whom  Jesus  was  then  blessing,  not  only  to  all 
children  in  general,  but  to  all  of  whatever  age  who  are 


Luke  18:  18-30        THE  LAST  STAGES  163 

childlike  in  their  trust  and  dependence  and  purity.  All 
those  who  are  intrusted  to  the  care  of  the  Master  and 
who  accept  his  saving  grace  will  find  a  place  in  his  Kingdom. 
As  the  crowds  gazed  in  wonder  and  sympathy  on  this 
tender  scene,  our  Lord  added  this  word  of  warning, 
"Whosoever  shall  not  receive  the  kingdom  of  God  as  a 
little  child,  he  shall  in  no  wise  enter  therein." 

6.  The  Rich  Ruler.     Ch.  18  :  18-30 

18  And  a  certain  ruler  asked  him,  saying,  Good  Teacher, 
what  shall  I  do  to  inherit  eternal  life?  19  And  Jesus  said  unto 
him,  Why  callest  thou  me  good?  none  is  good,  save  one,euen 
God.  20  Thou  knowest  the  commandments,  Do  not  commit 
adultery,  Do  not  kill,  Do  not  steal,  Do  not  bear  false  witness, 
Honor  thy  father  and  mother.  21  And  he  said,  All  these 
things  have  I  observed  from  my  youth  up.  22  And  when  Jesus 
heard  it,  he  said  unto  him,  One  thing  thou  lackest  yet:  sell  all 
that  thou  hast,  and  distribute  unto  the  poor,  and  thou  shalt 
have  treasure  in  heaven :  and  come,  follow  me.  23  But  when 
he  heard  these  things,  he  became  exceedingly  sorrowful;  for 
he  was  very  rich.  24  And  Jesus  seeing  him  said,  How  hardly 
shall  they  that  have  riches  enter  into  the  kingdom  of  God !  25 
For  it  is  easier  for  a  camel  to  enter  in  through  a  needle's  eye, 
than  for  a  rich  man  to  enter  into  the  kingdom  of  God.  26  And 
they  that  heard  it  said,  Then  who  can  be  saved?  27  But  he 
said,  The  things  which  are  impossible  with  men  are  possible 
with  God.  28  And  Peter  said,  Lo,  we  have  left  our  own,  and 
followed  thee.  29  And  he  said  unto  them,  Verily  I  say  unto 
you,  There  is  no  man  that  hath  left  house,  or  wife,  or  breth- 
ren, or  parents,  or  children,  for  the  kingdom  of  God's  sake,  30  , 
who  shall  not  receive  manifold  more  in  this  time,  and  in  th^ 
world  to  come  eternal  life. 

In  contrast  with  the  penitent  publican  and  with  the 
loving  trust  of  little  children  which  Luke  has  been  depicting, 
there  steps  upon  the  scene  a  young  man,  rich,  upright, 
morally  earnest,  but  apparently  unconscious  of  the  sinful 
greed  which  threatened  his  soul  and  of  that  trust  in  riches 
which  might  prevent  his  entering  the  Kingdom  of  God. 
In  spite  of  his  riches,  his  youth,  his  position,  and  his  power, 
his  heart  was  not  satisfied.  He  had  come  to  Jesus  with  the 
question,  "Good  Teacher,  what  shall  I  do  to  inherit  eternal 
life?"     Jesus  at  once  rebuked  him,  "Why  callest  thou  me 


164     JOURNEYS  TOWARD  JERUSALEM   Luke  18:  18-30 

good?  none  is  good,  save  one,  even  God."  By  this  reproof 
Jesus  was  neither  defending  his  own  divinity  nor  denying 
his  sinlessness.  He  wished  to  convince  the  young  man  of 
his  moral  need.  He  intimated  that  the  thoughtless  use  of  the 
word  "good,"  addressed  to  one  whom  he  regarded  as  a 
human  teacher,  was  a  proof  that  the  young  man  had  a 
superficial  view  of  goodness.  Judged  by  a  divine  stand- 
ard the  young  inquirer  could  not  claim  to  be  good,  nor 
can  any  man  regard  himself  as  righteous  in  the  light  of 
divine  holiness. 

In  order  to  awaken  the  conscience  and  to  disturb  the 
complacent  self-righteousness  of  the  young  inquirer, 
Jesus  now  tested  him  in  the  light  of  the  commandments 
in  which  God  has  revealed  his  holy  will.  The  youth  at  once 
replied,  "All  these  things  have  I  observed  from  my  youth 
up."  Jesus  now  applied  the  deep  probe  which  showed  that 
the  man  had  never  observed  the  spirit  of  the  Law,  even 
though  he  believed  that  he  had  kept  the  letter.  Jesus 
disclosed  the  real  selfishness  of  the  heart  as  he  proposed  a 
supreme  test:  "One  thing  thou  lackest  yet:  sell  all  that 
thou  hast,  and  distribute  unto  the  poor,  and  thou  shalt 
have  treasure  in  heaven:  and  come,  follow  me."  In  this 
sentence  Jesus  convicted  the  man  of  having  broken  the 
Law,  the  essential  requirement  of  which  was  to  love  his 
neighbor  as  himself. 

Jesus  promised  an  eternal  recompense  for  sacrifice, 
and  he  offers  by  his  personal  companionship  the  influence 
and  power  which  will  make  the  keeping  of  the  Law  more 
possible  and  complete.  No  one  can  claim  to  be  righteous 
when  judged  by  the  commandments  as  interpreted  by 
Christ.  Our  only  hope  is  to  come  to  him  for  guidance  and 
help.  He  will  lay  bare  the  secret  selfishness  of  our  hearts, 
and  will  develop  the  spirit  of  love  and  service  which  forms 
the  essence  of  eternal  life,  and  in  heaven  he  will  ultimately 
recompense  his  followers  for  every  loss. 

Jesus  does  not  demand  that  all  who  obey  him  must 
literally  leave  their  worldly  possessions.  In  his  command 
to  the  rich  ruler  he  was  dealing  with  a  specific  case.  He 
does  demand,  however,  that  each  one  shall  give  up  any- 
thing which  prevents  open,  honest  discipleship  and  fellow- 


Luke  18:  18-30        THE  LAST  STAGES  165 

ship  with  himself.  In  the  case  of  this  inquirer  the  obstacle 
was  his  wealth.  It  was  impossible  for  him  to  retain  it 
and  yet  to  follow  Christ.  The  Master  made  plain  to  him 
that  his  goodness  had  been  superficial  and  inadequate. 
He  showed  him  that  love  of  money  was  the  canker  which 
had  been  hidden  in  his  soul.  He  plainly  placed  before 
him  the  necessity  of  choosing  between  his  wealth  and  the 
eternal  life  which  Jesus  alone  can  give.  No  wonder  that 
when  the  young  ruler  heard  the  stern  requirements  and 
realized  for  the  first  time  that  he  was  controlled  by  his 
wealth,  "He  became  exceeding  sorrowful;  for  he  was 
very  rich."  He  kept  his  wealth  and  he  rejected  his  Saviour. 
He  saw  the  possibility  of  eternal  life,  but  he  was  not  willing 
to  pay  the  price.  He  retained  his  riches,  but  he  lost  his 
soul. 

As  Jesus  looked  upon  him  in  pity,  he  startled  his  disciples 
by  the  statement  of  a  truth  which  the  scene  had  illustrated : 
"How  hardly  shall  they  that  have  riches  enter  into  the 
kingdom  of  God!"  This  was  particularly  surprising  to  the 
Jews.  They  imagined  that  wealth  was  a  positive  proof 
of  divine  favor.  What  then  did  Jesus  mean?  He  did  not 
intend  to  teach  that  wealth  is  sinful  or  that  private 
property  is  a  social  wrong.  He  meant  that  riches  may 
possibly  keep  their  possessor  from  Christian  discipleship 
and  that  one  who  seeks  to  satisfy  himself  with  such 
wealth  as  keeps  him  from  Christ  can  never  enter  the 
Kingdom  of  God.  Jesus  even  added  a  pardonable  hyper- 
bole, "It  is  easier  for  a  camel  to  enter  in  through  a  needle's 
eye,  than  for  a  rich  man  to  enter  into  the  kingdom  of  God." 
One  who  would  enter  that  Kingdom  must  become  as  a 
little  child;  he  must  abandon  all  trust  in  self,  and  be 
willing  to  sacrifice  anything  which  prevents  his  becoming 
an  obedient  servant  of  Christ.  When  the  disciples  heard 
this,  they  were  astonished  and  asked,  "Then  who  can  be 
saved?"  Our  Lord  replied,  "The  things  which  are  im- 
possible with  men  are  possible  with  God."  It  does  require 
resolution  and  decision  and  sacrifice,  but  God  is  ready  to 
supply  all  needed  grace.  His  spirit  can  strengthen  those 
who  turn  to  him  in  their  conscious  need  and  with  a  real 
desire  for  a  higher  life. 


166    JOURNEYS  TOWARD  JERUSALEM   Luke  18:  31-34 

As  the  rich  man  moved  away  sorrowfully  in  his  costly 
robes,  Peter  looked  upon  him  with  apparent  scorn,  and 
turned  to  Jesus  with  the  self-complacent  remark,  "Lo, 
we  have  left  our  own,  and  followed  thee."  The  reply  of 
Jesus  was  not  intended  to  encourage  men  to  follow  him 
in  hope  of  gain.  His  salvation  is  a  matter  of  grace.  We 
are  not  to  think  that  by  any  sacrifice  of  worldly  goods  we 
can  purchase  eternal  life.  However,  the  tender  words  of 
the  Master  do  remind  us  that  a  rich  recompense  will  be 
received  for  all  that  we  may  surrender  in  becoming  his 
disciples.  Even  in  this  present  time  one  receives  a  hundred- 
fold reward,  not  in  literal  kind  but  in  experiences  which 
now  satisfy  the  soul  and  "in  the  world  to  come  eternal 
life." 

7.  Jesus  Again  Foretelling  His  Death.     Ch.  18  :  31-34 

31  And  he  took  unto  him  the  twelve,  and  said  unto  them, 
Behold,  we  go  up  to  Jerusalem,  and  all  the  things  that  are 
written  through  the  prophets  shall  be  accomplished  unto  the 
Son  of  man.  32  For  he  shall  be  delivered  up  unto  the  Gentiles, 
and  shall  be  mocked,  and  shamefully  treated,  and  spit  upon : 
33  and  they  shall  scourge  and  kill  him:  and  the  third  day  he 
shall  rise  again.  34  And  they  understood  none  of  these  things ; 
and  this  saying  was  hid  from  them,  and  they  perceived  not  the 
things  that  were  said. 

As  Jesus  moved  southward  through  Perea,  nearing  the 
end  of  his  last  journey  to  Jerusalem,  he  was  accompanied 
by  admiring  multitudes,  but  his  own  heart  was  heavy 
with  the  knowledge  of  the  suffering  that  awaited  him 
and  he  clearly  saw  before  him  the  outline  of  the  cross. 
Many  of  his  followers  to-day  share  his  experience  in  part; 
even  in  surroundings  which  all  observers  envy,  their 
hearts  are  crushed  by  secret  sorrows  and  by  the  knowledge 
of  approaching  pain. 

Those  who  then  were  nearest  to  him  were  quite  un- 
conscious of  his  thoughts  or  his  need  of  sympathy.  Then 
for  the  third  time  Jesus  clearly  predicted  his  approaching 
death.  He  declared  that  his  sufferings  were  to  be  in 
accordance  with  written  prophecy  and  now  more  clearly 
than  ever  he  described  the  details  of  all  the  anguish  he 
must  endure.  He  was  to  be  "delivered  up  unto  the  Gentiles" 


Luke  18: 35-39         THE  LAST  STAGES  167 

and  therefore  to  be  crucified,  and  with  all  the  sickening 
accompaniments  of  mockery  and  spitting  and  scourging, 
he  was  to  be  killed. 

Such  a  clear  vision  of  what  awaited  him  enhances  for 
us  the  revelation  of  his  matchless  heroism  as  he  moved 
forward  with  unfaltering  tread,  giving  an  inspiring  example 
to  each  one  who  may  be  asked  to  take  up  the  cross  and 
come  after  him. 

Such  knowledge  reveals  one  who  consciously  was  more 
than  man,  such  a  confidence  that  he  was  fulfilling  the  pro- 
phecies of  the  inspired  Scriptures  shows  that  he  regarded 
himself  as  the  Saviour  of  the  world.  Such  a  willingness  to 
suffer  demonstrates  the  fact  that  he  believed  his  atoning 
death  to  be  an  essential  part  of  his  redeeming  work. 

The  grave,  however,  was  by  no  means  his  goal.  With 
absolute  definitness  he  declared  that  on  the  third  day  he 
would  rise  again.  This  vision  of  triumph  was  in  part  the 
explanation  of  his  courage.  It  was  in  virtue  of  such  a 
resurrection  victory  that  he  could  be  the  Saviour  of  man- 
kind. 

His  disciples,  however,  understood  none  of  these  things; 
with  threefold  emphasis  Luke  describes  their  dullness  of 
apprehension.  They  did  not  believe  that  his  death  was 
necessary  and  for  them  the  resurrection  was  not  even  a 
dream.  Their  lack  of  expectation  only  made  them  more 
credible  witnesses  of  that  resurrection  when  it  did  occur. 
However,  would  not  a  clearer  vision,  unclouded  by  false 
notions  of  their  own,  have  enabled  them  to  understand 
their  Master  and  to  bring  some  cheer  to  his  lonely  soul; 
and  does  he  not  always  desire  his  followers  to  accept  his 
predictions  with  implicit  faith  and  to  rest  upon  his  promises 
with  triumphant  hope? 

8.  The  Blind  Man  at  Jericho.     Ch.  18  :  35-43 

35  And  it  came  to  pass,  as  he  drew  nigh  unto  Jericho,  a  cer- 
tain blind  man  sat  by  the  way  side  begging :  36  and  hearing  a 
multitude  going  by,  he  inquired  what  this  meant.  37  And  they 
told  him,  that  Jesus  of  Nazareth  passeth  by.  38  And  he  cried, 
saying,  Jesus,  thou  son  of  David,  have  mercy  on  me.  39  And 
they  that  went  before  rebuked  him,  that  he  should  hold  his 


168     JOURNEYS  TOWARD  JERUSALEM  Luke  18:  40-43 

peace:  but  he  cried  out  the  more  a  great  deal,  Thou  son  of 
David,  have  mercy  on  me.  40  And  Jesus  stood,  and  com- 
manded him  to  be  brought  unto  him:  and  when  he  was  come 
near,  he  asked  him,  41  What  wilt  thou  that  should  do  unto 
thee?  And  he  said,  Lord,  that  I  may  receive  my  sight.  42 
And  Jesus  said  unto  him,  Receive  thy  sight:  thy  faith  hath 
made  thee  whole.  43  And  immediately  he  received  his  sight, 
and  followed  him,  glorifying  God:  and  all  the  people,  when 
they  saw  it,  gave  praise  unto  God. 

As  for  the  last  time  Jesus  was  journeying  through 
Jericho,  he  healed  a  blind  man  whom  Mark  in  his  record 
names  Bartimaeus.  This  miracle  was  a  proof  of  divine 
power  and  an  expression  of  human  sympathy,  but  it  was 
also  a  parable  of  the  ability  which  Jesus  alone  has  of 
giving  sight  to  the  morally  blind  and  of  imparting  that 
spiritual  vision  which  is  absolutely  necessary  if  men  are  to 
live  in  right  relations  to  one  another  and  to  God.  In 
certain  minor  details  Luke's  account  differs  from  those  of 
Matthew  and  Mark.  The  former  mentions  two  blind  men 
and  agrees  with  Mark  in  stating  that  the  miracle  occurred 
as  Jesus  was  leaving  the  city.  Possibly  Mark  and  Luke 
refer  to  the  best  known  of  the  two  men  and  Luke  may 
designate  the  older  of  the  two  towns  which  bore  the  name 
of  Jericho.  All  agree,  however,  in  picturing  the  pitiful 
condition  of  the  helpless  man  who  because  of  his  blindness 
was  reduced  to  beggary  and  was  a  true  symbol  of  the  mis- 
ery to  which  one  is  brought  by  the  lack  of  spiritual  sight. 

Then  there  is  the  picture  of  the  obstacles  to  be  overcome, 
of  the  doubts  and  difficulties  that  lie  in  the  way  of  those 
who  seek  to  come  under  the  healing  influence  of  our  Lord. 
"They  that  went  before  rebuked  him,  that  he  should  hold 
his  peace."  Often  do  those  who  yearn  for  light  and  heal- 
ing hear  words  which  dishearten  and  suggestions  which 
lead  to  hopelessness  and  despair ! 

Again  there  is  the  picture  of  eager  determination  and 
of  unshaken  faith.  "He  cried  out  the  more  a  great  deal, 
Thou  son  of  David,  have  mercy  on  me."  He  had  been 
told  that  "Jesus  of  Nazareth"  was  passing  by.  He, 
however,  called  him  "Jesus,  thou  son  of  David."  He 
recognized   the    Prophet   of   Nazareth    as   the   promised 


Luke  19:  1-10  THE  LAST  STAGES  169 

Messiah,  the  Saviour  of  the  world,  and  when  rebuked  for 
crying  to  him  for  mercy,  he  continued  steadfast  in  his 
faith  and  his  confident  trust  that  Jesus  would  sympathize 
and  heal. 

Lastly,  there  is  the  picture  of  complete  relief.  The  blind 
man  was  not  disappointed.  Jesus  said  unto  him,  "Receive 
thy  sight:  thy  faith  hath  made  thee  whole."  How  many 
likewise  have  found  Christ  able  and  willing  to  give  them 
spiritual  vision!  Their  eyes  have  been  opened  to  behold 
things  unseen  and  eternal  and  they  have  been  enabled 
to  follow  the  Master  with  joyful  footsteps  as  they 
journey  toward  the  celestial  city  where  they  will  see  the 
King  in  his  beauty  and  will  be  like  him  when  they  "see 
him  even  as  he  is." 

Such  miracles  of  grace  rejoice  the  hearts  not  only  of 
those  who  are  healed;  they  occasion  gratitude  and  joy  to 
countless  others  also  as  they  are  assured  of  the  sympathy 
and  grace  and  divine  power  of  the  Saviour.  As  Luke  here 
states,  "  All  the  people,  when  they  saw  it,  gave  praise  unto 
God." 

9.  The  Conversion  of  Zacchaeus.     Ch.  19  :  1-10 

1  And  he  entered  and  was  passing  through  Jericho.  2  And 
behold,  a  man  called  by  name  Zacchaeus ;  and  he  was  a  chief 
publican,  and  he  was  rich.  3  And  he  sought  to  see  Jesus  who 
he  was ;  and  could  not  for  the  crowd,  because  he  was  little  of 
stature.  4  And  he  ran  on  before,  and  climbed  up  into  a  syco- 
more  tree  to  see  him :  for  he  was  to  pass  that  way.  5  And  when 
Jesus  came  to  the  place,  he  looked  up,  and  said  unto  him, 
Zacchaeus,  make  haste,  and  come  down;  for  to-day  I  must 
abide  at  thy  house.  6  And  he  made  haste  and  came  down,  and 
received  him  joyfully.  7  And  when  they  saw  it,  they  all  mur- 
mured, saying,  He  is  gone  in  to  lodge  with  a  man  that  is  a 
sinner.  8  And  Zacchaeus  stood,  and  said  unto  the  Lord,  Be- 
hold, Lord,  the  half  of  my  goods  I  give  to  the  poor:  and  if  I 
have  wrongfully  exacted  aught  of  any  man,  I  restore  fourfold. 
9  And  Jesus  said  unto  him,  To-day  is  salvation  come  to  this 
house,  forasmuch  as  he  also  is  a  son  of  Abraham.  10  For  the 
Son  of  man  came  to  seek  and  to  save  that  which  was  lost. 

"And  he  entered  and  was  passing  through  Jericho," 
a  city  famous  alike  for  faith  and  unbelief.  "By  faith  the 
walls  of  Jericho  fell  down,"  and  in  blind  unbelief  they 


170    JOURNEYS  TOWARD  JERUSALEM   Luke  19:  1-10 

were  rebuilt  and  the  curse  which  had  been  pronounced 
came  upon  the  defiant  builder.  As  Jesus  passed  through 
this  city  he  was  to  witness  faith  and  unbelief,  the  latter 
to  be  shown  by  multitudes,  the  former  by  a  single  man 
named  Zacchaeus.  This  name  signifies  "holiness"  but 
it  was  a  poor  designation  of  the  man.  Those  who  knew 
him  best  called  him  a  "sinner, "and  they  were  probably 
right.  "He  was  a  chief  publican,  and  he  was  rich."  A 
man  might  be  a  publican  and  be  honest,  but  he  would 
probably  be  poor.  Zacchaeus'  task  was  that  of  a  tax- 
gatherer,  and  when  it  is  remembered  that  these  officials 
made  their  wealth  by  extortion  and  dishonesty,  to  say 
the  least,  it  was  suspicious  when  a  taxgatherer  was  rich. 

"He  sought  to  see  Jesus  who  he  was."  It  may  have 
been  curiosity,  but  there  was  a  certain  eagerness  in  his 
desire.  He  possibly  had  heard  of  the  great  Prophet 
who  was  so  kind  in  his  treatment  of  publicans  and  sinners. 
However,  he  could  not  see  Jesus  "for  the  crowd,  because 
he  was  little  of  stature."  Obstacles  often  arise  in  the 
way  of  those  whose  attention  is  first  turned  toward  Christ. 
If,  however,  they  are  earnest  in  their  desire,  they  are 
certain  to  learn  more  of  him. 

The  earnestness  of  Zacchaeus  was  shown  as  "he  ran 
on  before,  and  climbed  up  into  a  sycomore  tree  to  see 
him."  There  was  something  undignified  in  the  action 
of  this  little  man  of  wealth,  but  his  eagerness  received  an 
unexpected  reward,  for  "When  Jesus  came  to  the  place 
he  looked  up,  and  said  unto  him,  Zacchaeus,  make  haste, 
and  come  down;  for  to-day  I  must  abide  at  thy  house." 
This  is  the  only  time  so  far  as  we  know  that  Jesus  invited 
himself  to  be  a  guest,  but  we  are  certain  that  he  is  ever 
ready  to  abide  with  those  whose  hearts  are  open  to  receive 
him.  It  has  been  said  that  Zacchaeus  was  converted 
before  he  had  reached  the  ground.  There  can  be  no  doubt 
that  a  great  change  came  into  his  heart  as  he  realized  how 
fully  Jesus  knew  him  and  anticipated  what  the  Saviour 
could  do  for  him;  and  his  faith  and  hope  were  manifest 
at  once.  "He  made  haste,  and  came  down,  and  received 
him  joyfully." 

What  did  the  crowd  say?     Exactly  what  the  world 


Luke  19: 11-16  THE  LAST  STAGES  171 

always  says  when  a  man  is  turning  to  Christ  and  seeking 
to  begin  a  new  life.  Men  always  call  to  mind  the  dark 
past  from  which  the  rescued  man  is  turning.  "They  all 
murmured,  saying,  He  is  gone  in  to  lodge  with  a  man 
that  is  a  sinner." 

What  did  Zacchaeus  say?  What  every  man  says  who 
has  found  the  grace  which  Christ  bestows  and  who  realizes 
that  a  new  life  can  begin  only  with  repentance  and  re- 
solution. "Behold,  Lord,  the  half  of  my  goods  I  give  to 
the  poor."  Thus  he  determined,  as  a  Christian,  to  do  far 
more  than  was  required  by  the  Jewish  Law;  that  Law 
required  a  tenth;  Zacchaeus  promised  that  half  of  all  his 
income  would  be  used  in  the  service  of  the  Lord.  "And 
if  I  have  wrongfully  exacted  aught  of  any  man,  I  restore 
fourfold."  There  can  be  little  doubt  that  any  publican 
would  find  large  opportunities  for  such  restoration;  and 
nothing  more  definitely  indicates  true  repentance  than  the 
desire  to  make  amends  for  the  past. 

What  did  Jesus  say?  This  is  most  important  of  all, 
"To-day  is  salvation  come  to  this  house,  forasmuch  as  he 
also  is  a  son  of  Abraham."  By  his  faith  the  publican  of 
Jericho  showed  himself  to  be  a  true  son  of  Abraham,  the 
"father  of  the  faithful."  His  trust  in  Christ  secured  for 
him  that  salvation  which  is  offered  to  all,  even  to  the 
lowest  and  most  hopeless  and  despised.  "For  the  Son  of 
man  came  to  seek  and  to  save  that  which  was  lost." 

10.  The  Parable  of  the  Pounds.     Ch.  19  :  11-28 

11  And  as  they  heard  these  things,  he  added  and  spake  a 
parable,  because  he  was  nigh  to  Jerusalem,  and  because  they 
supposed  that  the  kingdom  of  God  was  immediately  to  appear. 
12  He  said  therefore,  A  certain  nobleman  went  into  a  far 
country,  to  receive  for  himself  a  kingdom,  and  to  return.  13 
And  he  called  ten  servants  of  his,  and  gave  them  ten  pounds, 
and  said  unto  them,  Trade  ye  herewith  till  I  come.  14  But 
his  citizens  hated  him,  and  sent  an  ambassage  after  him,  say- 
ing, We  will  not  that  this  man  reign  over  us.  15  And  it  came 
to  pass,  when  he  was  come  back  again,  having  received  the 
kingdom,  that  he  commanded  these  servants,  unto  whom  he 
had  given  the  money,  to  be  called  to  him,  that  he  might  know 
what  they  had  gained  by  trading.    16  And  the  first  came  be- 


172     JOURNEYS  TOWARD  JERUSALEM   Luke  19:  17-28 

fore  him,  saying,  Lord,  thy  pound  hath  made  ten  pounds  more. 
17  And  he  said  unto  him,  Well  done,  thou  good  servant:  be- 
cause thou  wast  found  faithful  in  a  very  little,  have  thou  au- 
thority over  ten  cities.  18  And  the  second  came,  saying,  Thy 
pound,  Lord,  hath  made  five  pounds.  19  And  he  said  unto 
him  also,  Be  thou  also  over  five  cities.  20  And  another  came, 
saying,  Lord,  behold,  here  is  thy  pound,  which  I  kept  laid  up 
in  a  napkin:  21  for  I  feared  thee,  because  thou  art  an  austere 
man:  thou  takest  up  that  which  thou  layedst  not  down,  and 
reapest  that  which  thou  didst  not  sow.  22  He  saith  unto  him, 
Out  of  thine  own  mouth  will  I  judge  thee,  thou  wicked  serv- 
ant. Thou  knewest  that  I  am  an  austere  man,  taking  up 
that  which  I  laid  not  down,  and  reaping  that  which  I  did  not 
sow;  23  then  wherefore  gavest  thou  not  my  money  into  the 
bank,  and  I  at  my  coming  should  have  required  it  with  in- 
terest? 24  And  he  said  unto  them  that  stood  by,  Take  away 
from  him  the  pound,  and  give  it  unto  him  that  hath  the  ten 
pounds.  25  And  they  said  unto  him,  Lord,  he  hath  ten  pounds, 
26 1  say  unto  you,  that  unto  every  one  that  hath  shall  be  given ; 
but  from  him  that  hath  not,  even  that  which  he  hath  shall  be 
taken  away  from  him.  27  But  these  mine  enemies,  that 
would  not  that  I  should  reign  over  them,  bring  hither,  and 
slay  them  before  me. 

28  And  when  he  had  thus  spoken,  he  went  on  before,  going 
up  to  Jerusalem. 

Jesus  felt  impelled  to  deliver  the  parable  of  the  Pounds 
because  of  the  mistaken  belief  among  the  crowds  that 
on  his  arrival  in  Jerusalem  he  would  establish  his  Kingdom. 
He  well  knew  that  he  was  to  be  rejected  and  crucified, 
and  that  a  long  interval  of  time  would  elapse  before  his 
return  in  triumph.  In  this  parable  he  definitely  predicted 
this  rejection  and  warned  the  unbelieving  Jews  of  their 
peril.  On  the  other  hand  he  encouraged  his  disciples  to 
wait  with  patience  for  his  return,  to  watch  for  his  coming, 
and  to  be  engaged  diligently  in  his  service,  promising  to 
the  faithful,  abundant  and  gracious  rewards. 

This  parable  of  the  Pounds  should  be  studied  in  con- 
nection with  the  parables  of  the  Unprofitable  Servant, 
ch.  17:  7-10,  the  Laborers  in  the  Vineyard,  Matt.  20:1-16, 
and  the  Talents,  Matt.  25:  14-30.  The  first  teaches  that 
no  reward  can  be  claimed  as  a  matter  of  merit;  in  view  of 
all  that  the  Master  has  given  us,  even  pouring  out  his  life 


Luke  19:  17-28        THE  LAST  STAGES  173 

for  our  redemption,  we  never  by  the  most  faithful  service 
could  begin  to  pay  the  debt  we  owe;  even  the  most  loyal 
devotion  would  be  no  ground  for  claiming  a  reward. 

The  parable  of  the  Laborers  in  the  Vineyard  likewise 
warns  us  against  a  mercenary  spirit  in  which  we  might 
serve  the  Master  for  the  sake  of  a  reward,  bargaining 
for  so  much  labor  for  so  much  pay,  jealous  of  those  who 
may  receive  as  much  as  ourselves,  though  deserving,  as 
we  believe,  less. 

However,  while  no  reward  may  be  deserved,  and  while 
the  hope  of  reward  should  not  be  the  motive  for  service, 
the  Master  has  assured  us  that,  in  absolute  grace  and  with 
perfect  justice,  rewards  will  be  granted  to  those  who  are 
found  faithful  when  he  returns.  The  parable  of  the  Talents 
teaches  that  while  opportunities  and  abilities  for  the 
service  of  Christ  may  differ,  those  who  are  equally  faithful 
will  receive  equal  rewards.  The  parable  of  the  Pounds 
tells  us  that  when  opportunities  are  the  same,  greater 
faithfulness  will  receive  greater  reward. 

This  latter  parable  was  delivered,  as  Luke  tells  us, 
because  Jesus  "was  nigh  to  Jerusalem,  and  because  they 
supposed  that  the  kingdom  of  God  was  immediately  to 
appear."  Jesus  therefore  compared  himself  with  a  noble- 
man who  went  into  a  far  country,  "to  receive  for  himself 
a  kingdom,  and  to  return."  Jesus  was  always  indicating 
the  fact  that  there  would  be  a  long  delay  after  his  ascension 
before  he  would  return,  and  that  meanwhile  his  followers 
should  be  faithful  to  the  opportunities  granted  them  for 
serving  their  Master.  In  this  parable  Jesus  pictured  these 
opportunities  under  the  figure  of  pounds,  that  is,  sums  of 
money  amounting  to  something  like  sixteen  dollars  each. 
In  comparison  with  a  "talent"  this  was  an  insignificant 
sum.  Our  Lord  wished  to  suggest  that  to  every  one  of 
his  followers  something  is  intrusted  which  may  be  used 
for  the  advancement  of  his  cause. 

Jesus  knew  that  the  Jews  were  not  only  to  reject  him 
but  were  to  continue  in  unbelief  after  his  departure; 
thus  in  the  parable  he  stated  that  "his  citizens  hated  him, 
and  sent  an  ambassage  after  him,  saying,  We  will  not  that 
this  man  reign  over  us."    The  main  portion  of  the  picture, 


174     JOURNEYS  TOWARD  JERUSALEM  Luke  19:  17-28 

however,  is,  concerned  with  the  return  of  the  nobleman 
and  the  reward  of  his  servants.  This  reward  was  pro- 
portioned to  fidelity  during  the  time  of  his  absence.  By- 
way of  example,  one  who  had  so  used  his  pound  to  as  gain 
ten  pounds  was  made  the  ruler  over  ten  cities;  and  one 
who  had  gained  five,  was  appointed  over  five  cities.  The 
reward  for  service  is  thus  shown  to  be  larger  service. 
Faithfulness  in  that  which  is  very  small  is  a  preparation 
for  larger  responsibilities  and  more  glorious  tasks.  This 
is  true  in  the  present,  and  the  principle  will  be  the  same 
in  the  future. 

One  man  was  found,  however,  who  had  made  no  use 
of  his  pound.  He  had  kept  it  "laid  up  in  a  napkin."  His 
excuse  was  that  he  feared  his  master  and  he  said,  almost 
boastfully,  that  he  had  not  lost  what  had  been  intrusted 
to  him.  He  was  giving  back  that  which  he  had  been  given 
him.  The  nobleman,  however,  properly  rebuked  this 
unfaithful  servant  in  the  very  terms  which  he  himself 
had  used.  If  the  master  was  known  to  be  so  strict,  the 
servant  should  have  been  prepared  to  give  a  better  account 
of  his  stewardship.  It  is  true  that  one  cause  for  unfaithful- 
ness is  an  ignorance  of  the  true  nature  of  our  Lord.  Some 
are  really  afraid  to  undertake  Christian  service  because 
they  do  not  know,  what  the  parable  could  not  indicate, 
namely,  that  he  who  intrusts  us  with  opportunities  and 
abilities  will  give  us  grace,  if  we  seek  to  do  our  best  and 
with  a  real  desire  to  advance  the  interests  of  our  Lord,  try 
to  use  the  little  which  we  have.  Thus  the  nobleman  re- 
buked the  unfaithful  servant  for  not  having  done  the  least 
which  was  possible.  He  could  have  placed  the  money 
in  the  bank  and  then  if  nothing  more,  the  master  would 
have  received  the  interest  on  the  loan.  There  is  always 
something  which  every  servant  of  Christ  can  do  for  him. 
There  is  never  any  real  excuse  for  idleness  and  inactivity 
and  failure  to  achieve  something  in  the  cause  of  Christ. 

The  pound  was  taken  from  the  unfaithful  servant  and 
given  to  him  who  had  secured  the  ten  pounds,  because 
our  Lord  wished  to  illustrate  the  truth  that  with  our 
opportunities  and  privileges  and  gifts,  the  principle,  use 
or  lose,  always  applies.     The  right  employment  of  even 


Luke  19:  17-28         THE  LAST  STAGES  175 

small  gifts  results  in  their  enlargement,  but  failure  to 
appreciate  and  employ  that  which  we  possess  results  in 
its  ultimate  loss.  "Unto  every  one  that  hath  shall  be 
given;  but  from  him  that  hath  not,  even  that  which  he 
hath  shall  be  taken  away  from  him." 

The  parable  closes  with  a  solemn  warning  to  those  who 
reject  Christ.  It  is  not  only  perilous  to  be  unfaithful  in 
his  service  but  pitiful  to  be  found  in  the  class  of  those  who 
refuse  to  acknowledge  him  as  Lord.  Jesus  describes  in 
these  last  words  not  only  the  destruction  of  Jerusalem, 
but  the  penalty  of  all  who  share  in  rejecting  his  rule. 
"But  these  mine  enemies,  that  would  not  that  I  should 
reign  over  them,  bring  hither,  and  slay  them  before  me." 

The  time  of  his  departure  was  at  hand.  The  nation  was 
about  to  reject  him.  The  nobleman  was  just  to  start 
for  the  far  country,  for  "When  he  had  thus  spoken,  he 
went  on  before,  going  up  to  Jerusalem." 


176  THE  CLOSING  MINISTRY       Luke  19:  29-47 


VI.  The  Closing  Ministry.     Chs.  19:29  to  21:38 

A.  THE  TRIUMPHAL  ENTRY.    Ch.  19:  29-48 

29  And  it  came  to  pass,  when  he  drew  nigh  unto  Bethphage 
and  Bethany,  at  the  mount  that  is  called  Olivet,  he  sent  two  of 
the  disciples,  30  saying,  Go  your  way  into  the  village  over 
against  you;  in  which  as  ye  enter  ye  shall  find  a  colt  tied, 
whereon  no  man  ever  yet  sat:  loose  him,  and  bring  him.  31 
And  if  anyone  ask  you,  Why  do  ye  loose  him?  thus  shall  ye 
say,  The  Lord  hath  need  of  him.  32  And  they  that  were  sent 
went  away,  and  found  even  as  he  had  said  unto  them.  33  And 
as  they  were  loosing  the  colt,  the  owners  thereof  said  unto 
them,  Why  loose  ye  the  colt?  34  And  they  said,  The  Lord  hath 
need  of  him.  35  And  they  brought  him  to  Jesus:  and  they 
threw  their  garments  upon  the  colt,  and  set  Jesus  thereon. 

36  And  as  he  went,  they  spread  their  garments  in  the  way. 

37  And  as  he  was  now  drawing  nigh,  even  at  the  descent  of  the 
mount  of  Olives,  the  whole  multitude  of  the  disciples  began 
to  rejoice  and  praise  God  with  a  loud  voice  for  all  the  mighty 
works  which  they  had  seen;  38  saying,  Blessed  is  the  King 
that  cometh  in  the  name  of  the  Lord:  peace  in  heaven,  and 
glory  in  the  highest.  39  And  some  of  the  Pharisees  from  the 
multitude  said  unto  him,  Teacher,  rebuke  thy  disciples.  40 
And  he  answered  and  said,  I  tell  you  that,  if  these  shall  hold 
their  peace,  the  stones  will  cry  out. 

41  And  when  he  drew  nigh,  he  saw  the  city  and  wept  over 
it,  42  saying,  If  thou  hadst  known  in  this  day,  even  thou,  the 
things  which  belong  unto  peace !  but  now  they  are  hid  from 
thine  eyes.  43  For  the  days  shall  come  upon  thee,  when  thine 
enemies  shall  cast  up  a  bank  about  thee,  and  compass  thee 
round,  and  keep  thee  in  on  every  side,  44  and  shall  dash  thee 
to  the  ground,  and  thy  children  within  thee;  and  they  shall 
not  leave  in  thee  one  stone  upon  another;  because  thou  knew- 
est  not  the  time  of  thy  visitation. 

45  And  he  entered  into  the  temple,  and  began  to  cast  out 
them  that  sold,  46  saying  unto  them,  It  is  written,  And  my 
house  shall  be  a  house  of  prayer:  but  ye  have  made  it  a  den 
of  robbers. 

47  And  he  was  teaching  daily  in  the  temple.  But  the  chief 
priests  and  the  scribes  and  the  principal  men  of  the  people 


Luke  19: 48      THE  TRIUMPHAL  ENTRY  177 

sought  to  destroy  him:  48  and  they  could  not  find  what  they 
might  do;  for  the  people  all  hung  upon  him,  listening. 

The  story  of  Luke  is  never  lacking  in  human  interest, 
but  no  scene  is  more  suffused  with  sentiment,  none 
more  vivid  with  color,  than  that  which  pictures  Jesus 
entering  Jerusalem  in  triumph.  We  see  our  Lord  mounted 
as  a  king,  surrounded  by  acclaiming  multitudes,  sweeping 
over  the  brow  of  Olivet,  while  his  attendant  disciples 
spread  their  garments  in  the  way  and  hail  him  as  the 
Messiah.  We  see  him  lamenting  over  the  doomed  city 
and  hear  the  harsh  tones  of  the  rulers  who  are  plotting 
his  death.  With  all  these  shouts  of  joy  and  sobs  of  grief 
and  mutterings  of  malice,  surely  no  scene  is  so  full  of 
emotion  and  none  can  illustrate  more  strikingly  the  relation 
between  religious  feeling  and  religious  faith. 

An  appeal  to  the  eye  and  ear  and  heart  may  awaken 
sentiment  and  prepare  the  way  for  the  surrender  of  the 
will.  There  is  to-day  a  proper  place  for  music  and  ar- 
chitecture and  eloquence  as  aids  to  devotion.  In  the  case 
of  the  triumphal  entry,  Jesus  planned  every  detail.  He 
sent  two  disciples  to  secure  the  colt  on  which  he  was  to 
ride;  he  allowed  the  disciples  to  place  on  the  colt  their 
garments,  and  as  he  rode  toward  the  city  he  accepted  the 
acclamations  of  the  crowd.  When  the  Pharisees  criti- 
cized Jesus  for  permitting  such  praise  and  arousing  such 
excitement,  he  declared  that  such  homage  to  himself 
was  not  only  proper  but  necessary,  and  that  if  the  multi- 
tudes were  silenced  the  very  stones  would  "cry  out"  to 
welcome  and  to  honor  him.  Jesus  was  offering  himself  as 
King  for  the  last  time,  and  therefore  his  offer  was  to  be 
made  in  the  most  impressive  way.  He  appealed  to  the 
imagination.  He  stirred  the  emotions.  He  did  not  mean 
that  he  was  to  be  such  a  king  as  the  people  supposed; 
the  borrowed  colt,  the  garments  of  peasants,  the  banners 
of  leafy  branches  were  not  to  be  the  permanent  furnishings 
of  a  court.  He  wished  to  secure  the  submission  of  their 
wills,  the  complete  surrender  of  their  lives,  and  therefore 
he  made  this  stirring,  dramatic,  emotional  appeal  to  the 
multitudes.  He  knew  that  religious  feeling  is  an  aid  to 
religious  faith. 


178  THE  CLOSING  MINISTRY     Luke  20:  1-4 

However,  religious  feeling  is  not  to  be  confused  with 
religious  faith.  Emotion  is  no  substitute  for  conviction. 
Jesus  was  not  deceived.  As  he  caught  sight  of  the  sacred 
city  and  heard  the  bitter  criticism  of  the  Pharisees,  he 
realized  the  stubborn  unbelief  he  was  to  encounter;  he 
saw  his  rejection  and  death  and  the  consequent  destruction 
of  Jerusalem  and  he  pronounced  his  pathetic  lament, 
"If  thou  hadst  known  in  this  day,  even  thou,  the  things 
which  belong  unto  peace!"  He  predicted  the  ghastly 
horrors  of  the  coming  siege  and  the  desolation  of  Zion 
and  declared  that  it  was  due  to  inability  to  see  that  he 
had  come  as  a  Saviour  and  that  his  ministry  had  been  a 
gracious  visitation  which  might  have  resulted  in  repent- 
ance and  in  continued  life  for  the  nation.  It  is  the  sad, 
sad  lament  for  what  might  have  been. 

Jesus  entered  the  Temple  and  rebuked  the  rulers  for 
allowing  the  house  of  God  to  be  desecrated  by  degrading 
traffic.  As  the  story  closes  we  see  Jesus  standing  in  the 
center  of  the  scene,  on  one  hand  the  rulers  plotting  against 
his  life,  and  on  his  other  the  multitudes  hanging  admiringly 
upon  his  words.  Only  too  soon  the  rulers  were  to  persuade 
the  crowds  to  cry  out  for  his  crucifixion,  and  we  are  re- 
minded that  religious  feeling  unaccompanied  by  conviction 
may  soon  be  chilled  into  indifference  and  hate. 

There  were  those,  however,  like  the  disciples,  who  never 
forgot  this  scene  of  triumph.  Its  fuller  meaning  was 
appreciated  in  later  years  and  as  their  trust  in  Christ 
strengthened,  they  looked  back  with  ever  deeper  emo- 
tions upon  the  experiences  of  that  memorable  day;  for  it 
is  true  that  religious  feeling  is  after  all  a  natural  and  in- 
evitable consequence  of  religious  faith. 

B.  THE  QUESTION  AS  TO  AUTHORITY.    Ch.  20: 1-8 

1  And  it  came  to  pass,  on  one  of  the  days,  as  he  was  teach- 
ing the  people  in  the  temple,  and  preaching  the  gospel,  there 
came  upon  him  the  chief  priests  and  the  scribes  with  the  el- 
ders; 2  and  they  spake,  saying  unto  him,  Tell  us:  By  what 
authority  doest  thou  these  things?  or  who  is  he  that  gave  thee 
this  authority?  3  And  he  answered  and  said  unto  them,  I  also 
will  ask  you  a  question ;  and  tell  me :  4  The  baptism  of  John, 


Luke  20:  5-8    THE  QUESTION  AS  TO  AUTHORITY     179 

was  it  from  heaven,  or  from  men?  5  And  they  reasoned  with 
themselves,  saying,  if  we  shall  say,  From  heaven ;  he  will  say, 
Why  did  ye  not  believe  him?  6  But  if  we  shall  say,  From  men ; 
all  the  people  will  stone  us :  for  they  are  persuaded  that  John 
was  a  prophet.  7  And  they  answered,  that  they  knew  not 
whence  it  was.  8  And  Jesus  said  unto  them,  Neither  tell  I 
you  by  what  authority  I  do  these  things. 

After  his  triumphal  entry  into  the  city,  Jesus  continued 
to  be  the  popular  idol  of  the  multitudes  that  thronged 
Jerusalem  at  the  passover  season.  It  was  this  popularity 
which  delayed  the  designs  of  the  rulers,  as  they  had 
determined  to  put  Jesus  to  death.  They  must  first  dis- 
credit him  with  the  people.  With  this  in  view  they  sent 
a  deputation  from  their  chief  court,  the  sanhedrin,  to 
entrap  Jesus  in  his  talk  or  to  bring  him  into  conflict  with 
the  Jewish  or  Roman  rulers.  They  challenged  him  to 
state  by  what  authority  he  was  receiving  such  honors  as 
the  Messiah,  or  driving  the  traders  from  the  Temple,  or 
performing  his  miracles.  Their  question  was  framed  with 
subtle  skill,  "  By  what  authority  doest  thou  these  things? 
or  who  is  he  that  gave  thee  this  authority?"  They  placed 
Jesus  in  a  dilemma;  if  he  should  claim  that  authority  had 
been  delegated  to  him,  then  he  might  be  accused  of  dis- 
loyalty and  of  schism,  in  supplanting  the  recognized 
"authorities"  of  the  Jewish  state;  if  he  should  claim  in- 
herent divine  authority,  as  identified  with  God,  he 
might  be  condemned  for  blasphemy. 

Jesus  silenced  his  enemies  with  a  question  which  involved 
them  in  a  counterdilemma:  "The  baptism  of  John,  was 
it  from  heaven,  or  from  men?"  They  could  not  say  from 
"from  heaven,"  for  they  had  rejected  John;  they  dared 
not  say  "from  men,"  for  they  feared  the  people  by  whom 
John  was  regarded  as  a  prophet.  So  they  tried  to  escape 
by  cowardly  replying  that  they  did  not  know.  Agnosti- 
cism is  usually  cowardly  and  deserving  of  little  re- 
spect. 

But  Jesus  did  more  than  silence  them;  he  answered 
them.  His  question  was  no  irrelevant  riddle  by  which 
he  met  a  difficulty  and  delayed  the  necessity  of  a  reply. 
He  definitely  implied  that  the  authority  of  John  was  divine 


180  THE  CLOSING  MINISTRY     Luke  20:  5-8 

and  that  his  own  authority  was  the  same;  but  as  they 
were  afraid  to  deny  the  divine  authority  of  John  they 
were  also  powerless  to  deny  that  of  Jesus;  and  further 
he  implied  that  if  they  had  accepted  the  message  of 
John,  they  would  be  prepared  to  accept  Jesus.  It  is  true 
that  if  we  are  afraid  to  accept  the  logical  conclusions  of 
our  doubts  and  denials,  we  never  can  hope  to  discover 
truth. 

Jesus  further  rebuked  and  exposed  his  enemies.  When 
they  said  that  they  did  not  know,  Jesus  knew,  and  they 
knew,  and  the  crowds  knew,  that  they  were  not  honest; 
the  Lord  had  laid  bare  their  hypocrisy;  he  had  made  it 
perfectly  evident  that  the  real  question  at  issue  was  not 
authority  but  obedience.  The  enemies  of  Jesus  pretended 
that  they  wanted  to  know  more  of  his  credentials;  they 
really  wanted  to  discredit  and  entrap  him.  The  modern 
enemies  of  our  Lord  declare  that  they  want  more  proofs, 
more  evidence;  what  they  really  lack  is  love  for  God  and 
submission  to  his  will.  Those  who  do  not  repent  when 
John  preaches,  will  not  believe  when  Jesus  offers  to  save. 
The  world  needs  to-day,  not  more  proof  of  divine  authority, 
but  more  obedience  to  the  divine  will. 

Jesus  absolutely  discredited  his  enemies  in  the  sight  of 
the  people.  They  were  the  constituted  authorities  in  all 
matters  civil  and  religious,  and  yet  they  were  made  to 
confess  publicly  that  they  were  not  competent  to  judge 
a  clear,  familiar,  important  case  relating  to  religious 
authority.  They  really  abdicated  their  position.  They, 
therefore,  were  disqualified  to  pass  an  opinion  on  the 
exactly  parallel  case  of  the  authority  of  Jesus.  Jesus  had 
defeated  them  with  their  own  weapon.  No  wonder  that 
subsequently,  when  on  trial  before  such  judges,  he  refused 
to  answer  them  a  word.  He  had  shown  their  incompetence, 
their  insincerity,  their  unbelief.  Honest  doubters  are  deserv- 
ing of  sympathy;  but  professed  seekers  after  truth,  who 
are  unwilling  to  accept  the  consequences  of  belief,  should 
expect  to  receive  no  further  light.  An  increasing  knowl- 
edge of  divine  realities  is  conditioned  upon  humble  sub- 
mission of  the  heart  and  the  will  to  what  already  has 
been  revealed. 


Luke  20: 9-18   PARABLE  OF  THE  HUSBANDMEN     181 

C.  THE  PARABLE  OF  THE  HUSBANDMEN.    Ch.  20:  9-18 

9  And  he  began  to  speak  unto  the  people  this  parable:  A 
man  planted  a  vineyard,  and  let  it  out  to  husbandmen,  and 
went  into  another  country  for  a  long  time.  10  And  at  the  sea- 
son he  sent  unto  the  husbandmen  a  servant,  that  they  should 
give  him  of  the  fruit  of  the  vineyard:  but  the  husbandmen  beat 
him,  and  sent  him  away  empty.  1 1  And  he  sent  yet  another 
servant:  and  him  also  they  beat,  and  handled  him  shamefully, 
and  sent  him  away  empty.  12  And  he  sent  yet  a  third:  and 
him  also  they  wounded,  and  cast  him  forth.  13  And  the  lord 
of  the  vineyard  said,  What  shall  I  do?  I  will  send  my  beloved 
son;  it  may  be  they  will  reverence  him.  14  But  when  the 
husbandmen  saw  him,  they  reasoned  with  one  another,  saying, 
This  is  the  heir;  let  us  kill  him,  that  the  inheritance  may  be 
ours.  15  And  they  cast  him  forth  out  of  the  vineyard,  and 
killed  him.  What  therefore  will  the  lord  of  the  vineyard  do 
unto  them?  16  He  will  come  and  destroy  these  husbandmen, 
and  will  give  the  vineyard  unto  others.  And  when  they  heard 
it,  they  said,  God  forbid.  17  But  he  looked  upon  them,  and 
said,  What  then  is  this  that  is  written, 
The  stone  which  the  builders  rejected, 
The  same  was  made  the  head  of  the  corner? 
18  Every  one  that  falleth  on  that  stone  shall  be  broken  to 
pieces;  but  on  whomsoever  it  shall  fall,  it  will  scatter  him  as 
dust. 

To  the  malicious  challenge  of  his  enemies  Jesus  had 
already  replied,  claiming  for  himself  divine  authority  and 
condemning  the  rulers  for  their  guilty  unbelief.  He  now 
added  a  parable,  more  clearly  stating  his  claims  and  more 
solemnly  rebuking  these  hostile  rulers  and  pronouncing 
judgment  upon  the  nation  they  represented.  He  told  the 
story  of  a  householder  who  established  and  equipped  a 
vineyard  and  let  it  out  to  tenants.  He  lived  at  a  distance 
and  expected  as  rent  a  certain  portion  of  the  vintage. 
When  he  sent  for  the  fruit,  however,  his  messengers  were 
abused  and  killed;  at  last  his  own  son  was  sent  and  was 
slain.  He  determined  to  come  and  to  exact  justice  and 
to  deliver  his  vineyard  to  tenants  who  were  more  worthy. 

The  parable  was  so  plain  that  the  enemies  of  Jesus 
perfectly  understood  its  meaning.  The  householder 
was  his  Father;  the  vineyard  was  Israel;  the  husbandmen 
were  the  rulers  to  whom  the  nation  had  been  intrusted; 


182  THE  CLOSING  MINISTRY  Luke  20:  19-26 

the  servants  were  the  prophets  sent  to  summon  the  people 
to  repent  and  to  render  to  God  the  fruits  of  righteousness; 
the  son  was  Jesus  himself,  who  thus  claimed  a  unique 
relation  to  God,  distinct  from  the  prophets  and  from  all 
human  messengers;  the  death  of  the  heir  was  his  own 
approaching  crucifixion;  the  return  of  the  householder  was 
the  coming  visitation  of  divine  judgment,  the  rejection  of 
Israel,  and  the  call  of  the  Gentiles.  It  was  aside  from 
the  present  purpose  of  Jesus  to  refer  to  the  individual 
Jews  who  would  accept  him  and  to  the  future  conver- 
sion of  the  nation  of  which  Paul  wrote.  He  wished  now  to 
emphasize  his  own  rejection  and  the  guilt  and  punishment 
of  the  nation.  He  declared,  however,  that  this  death 
would  issue  in  his  exaltation  and  triumph;  that  he  was  "  the 
stone  which  the  builders  rejected,"  which  "was  made  the 
head  of  the  corner."  He  also  warned  his  enemies  that  all 
who,  in  unbelief,  should  stumble  on  that  stone,  all  who 
should  reject  him,  would  be  "broken  to  pieces,"  and  all 
who  should  attempt  to  drag  down  that  stone  would  be 
ground  and  scattered  as  dust. 

D.  THE  QUESTION  AS  TO  PAYING  TRIBUTE 
Ch.  20: 19-26 

19  And  the  scribes  and  the  chief  priests  sought  to  lay  hands 
on  him  in  that  very  hour;  and  they  feared  the  people:  for  they 
perceived  that  he  spake  this  parable  against  them.  20  And 
they  watched  him,  and  sent  forth  spies,  who  feigned  them- 
selves to  be  righteous,  that  they  might  take  hold  of  his  speech, 
so  as  to  deliver  him  up  to  the  rule  and  to  the  authority  of  the 
governor.  21  And  they  asked  him,  saying,  Teacher,  we  know 
that  thou  say  est  and  teachest  rightly,  and  acceptest  not  the 
person  of  any,  but  of  a  truth  teachest  the  way  of  God:  22  Is 
it  lawful  for  us  to  give  tribute  unto  Caesar,  or  not?  23  But 
he  perceived  their  craftiness,  and  said  unto  them,  24  Show 
me  a  denarius.  Whose  image  and  superscription  hath  it? 
And  they  said,  Caesar's.  25  And  he  said  unto  them,  Then 
render  unto  Caesar  the  things  that  are  Caesar's,  and  unto 
God  the  things  that  are  God's.  26  And  they  were  not  able 
to  take  hold  of  the  saying  before  the  people:  and  they  mar- 
velled at  his  answer,  and  held  their  peace. 

The  rulers  had  been  defeated,  discredited,  and  disgraced 


Luke  20:  19-26  AS  TO  PAYING  TRIBUTE  183 

but  they  had  not  been  discouraged.  In  their  first  question 
they  failed  utterly  to  bring  Jesus  into  any  unlawful  op- 
position to  the  religious  courts.  They  now  attempted 
by  a  new  question  to  draw  from  him  an  answer  which 
either  would  make  him  unpopular  with  the  people  or 
would  bring  him  under  the  condemnation  of  the  civil 
ruler.  They  asked  him  a  question  relative  to  the  payment 
of  tribute  to  the  Roman  Government.  The  more  conserv- 
ative Jews  held  that  God  was  the  ruler  of  Israel  and  that 
possibly  it  was  wrong  to  pay  taxes  to  support  a  heathen 
state.  The  more  liberal  party  sided  with  the  Herods, 
who  owed  their  power  to  Rome.  Therefore  the  enemies  of 
Jesus  sent  to  him  representatives  of  both  parties,  Phar- 
isees and  Herodians,  so  that  if  he  should  avoid  offending 
one  party  he  would  displeas  e  the  other.  They  approached 
Jesus  with  the  flattering  assurance  that  he  was  so  truthful 
and  courageous  that  he  would  not  hesitate  to  express  his 
true  convictions;  and  then  they  proposed  their  artful 
question:  "Is  it  lawful  for  us  to  give  tribute  unto  Caesar, 
or  not?"  Should  Jesus  say,  "Yes"?  Then  he  would 
cease  to  be  a  popular  idol,  for  the  people  loathed  the  hate- 
ful oppression  of  Rome.  Should  Jesus  say,  "  No"?  Then  his 
enemies  would  hurry  him  away  to  the  Roman  governor 
and  the  cross,  as  a  traitor  and  a  rebel.  The  dilemma 
seemed  complete;  yet  Jesus  not  only  escaped  the  snare, 
but,  in  his  reply,  he  enunciated  a  law  for  all  time.  "  Render 
unto  Caesar  the  things  that  are  Caesar's,  and  unto  God 
the  things  that  are  God's." 

To  make  plain  his  meaning,  Jesus  first  called  for  a  Roman 
coin,  and  asked  whose  image  and  superscription  it  bore. 
The  reply,  of  course,  was  "Caesar's."  Jesus  therefore 
declared  that  those  who  accept  the  protection  of  a  govern- 
ment and  the  privileges  provided  by  a  government,  are 
under  obligation  to  support  that  government.  Christian- 
ity never  should  be  identified  with  any  political  party  or 
social  theory;  but  Christians  ever  should  take  their  stand 
for  loyalty,  for  order,  and  for  law. 

It  is  not  the  whole  of  life,  however,  to  "render  unto 
Caesar  the  things  that  are  Caesar's";  one  must  also  render 
"unto  God  the  things  that  are  God's."    The  latter  higher 


184  THE  CLOSING  MINISTRY    Luke  20:  27-40 

allegiance  includes  the  former.  The  enemies  of  Jesus 
suggested  a  conflict  of  duties;  he  showed  that  there  was 
perfect  harmony.  He  intimated,  however,  that  there  was 
danger  of  forgetting  God,  and  our  obligations  to  him  of 
trust,  service,  worship,  love.  The  true  basis  for  citizen- 
ship is  devotion  to  God,  and  no  political  theory  or  party 
allegiance  can  be  taken  as  a  substitute  for  loyalty  to  him. 
The  enemies  of  Jesus  were  answered  and  rebuked,  and 
his  followers  were  given  guidance  for  all  the  coming  years. 

E.  THE  QUESTION  AS  TO  THE  RESURRECTION 
Ch.  20:  27-40 

27  And  there  came  to  him  certain  of  the  Sadducees,  they 
that  say  that  there  is  no  resurrection;  28  and  they  asked  him 
saying,  Teacher,  Moses  wrote  unto  us,  that  if  a  man's  brother 
die,  having  a  wife,  and  he  be  childless,  his  brother  should 
take  the  wife,  and  raise  up  seed  unto  his  brother.  29  There 
were  therefore  seven  brethren:  and  the  first  took  a  wife,  and 
died  childless;  30  and  the  second;  31  and  the  third  took  her; 
and  likewise  the  seven  also  left  no  children,  and  died.  32  Af- 
terward the  woman  also  died.  33  In  the  resurrection  there- 
fore whose  wife  of  them  shall  she  be?  for  the  seven  had  her 
to  wife.  34  And  Jesus  said  unto  them,  The  sons  of  this  world 
marry,  and  are  given  in  marriage:  35  but  they  that  are  ac- 
counted worthy  to  attain  to  that  world,  and  the  resurrection 
from  the  dead,  neither  marry,  nor  are  given  in  marriage: 

36  for  neither  can  they  die  any  more :  for  they  are  equal  unto 
the  angels ;  and  are  sons  of  God,  being  sons  of  the  resurrection. 

37  But  that  the  dead  are  raised,  even  Moses  showed,  in  the 
place  concerning  the  Bush,  when  he  calleth  the  Lord  the 
God  of  Abraham,  and  the  God  of  Isaac,  and  the  God  of  Jacob. 

38  Now  he  is  not  the  God  of  the  dead,  but  of  the  living:  for  all 
live  unto  him.  39  And  certain  of  the  scribes  answering  said, 
Teacher,  thou  hast  well  said.  40  For  they  durst  not  any 
more  ask  him  any  question. 

Jesus  had  foiled  the  scribes  and  the  chief  priests  in  their 
plan  to  entrap  him  in  his  public  teaching.  He  was  now 
attacked  by  the  Sadducees  who  were  the  priestly  and  most 
powerful  party  among  the  Jews.  'They  denied  the  im- 
mortality of  the  soul  and  believed  neither  in  angels  nor  in 
spirits;  they  represented  the  modern  materialists.  It  is  to 
be  noted  that  the  question   with  which  they  approached 


Luke  20:  27-40  AS  TO  THE  RESURRECTION  185 

Jesus  was  not  one  which  referred  only  to  immortality 
but  specifically  to  the  resurrection  of  the  body.  They 
proposed  the  case  of  a  woman  married  successively  to 
seven  brothers  from  each  of  whom  she  was  separated  by 
death;  and  they  asked,  "In  the  resurrection  therefore 
whose  wife  of  them  shall  she  be?  for  the  seven  had  her  to 
wife."  They  hoped  that  Jesus  would  either  deny  the 
orthodox  belief  as  to  the  resurrection  or  would  make  some 
statement  which  would  contradict  the  Law  of  Moses  in 
accordance  with  which  the  successive  marriages  were  made. 
They  implied  that  this  accepted  Law  was  inconsistent 
with  the  belief  in  a  resurrection. 

In  his  reply  Jesus  declared  that  in  the  resurrection  life 
will  be  regulated  by  larger  laws  than  are  known  in  this 
present  age.  Those  who  will  share  the  glony  of  that  age, 
and  who  will  experience  the  blessedness  of  "  the  resurrection 
from  the  dead"  will  be  immortal  in  soul  and  body.  Mar- 
riage, which  is  now  necessary  for  a  continuance  of  the  race, 
will  no  longer  exist.  The  relationships  in  that  life  will  be 
higher  than  even  the  most  sacred  relationship  of  the  present 
life.  Those  who  have  a  part  in  this  resurrection  will  be 
"equal  unto  the  angels,"  not  in  all  particulars,  but  in  the 
fact  that  their  state  will  be  deathless.  In  that  larger 
sense  they  will  be  "sons  of  God"  and  "sons  of  the  resur- 
rection," for  death  will  have  lost  its  power  over  them. 

Such  a  reply  should  be  carefully  weighed  by  men  of  the 
present  day  who  deny  miracles  and  refuse  to  believe  in 
resurrection  and  immortality.  Many  beliefs  which  are 
now  ridiculed  because  they  seem  to  contradict  established 
laws  of  science  will  some  day  be  vindicated  by  the  dis- 
covery of  higher  and  more  inclusive  laws  than  are  now 
known. 

In  his  answer  Jesus  already  had  rebuked  the  Sadducees 
for  denying  the  existence  of  angels.  He  next  established 
the  fact  of  the  resurrection  by  a  quotation  from  the  very 
Law  on  which  they  had  depended  to  show  that  resurrection 
was  impossible.  He  recalled  the  words  recorded  by  Moses 
in  reference  to  "the  God  of  Abraham,  and  the  God  of 
Isaac,  and  the  God  of  Jacob."  He  then  added,  "He  is  not 
the  God  of  the  dead,  but  of  the  living."    Jesus  meant  to 


186  THE  CLOSING  MINISTRY     Luke  20:  41-44 

establish  the  fact  of  the  continued  existence  of  the  dead; 
yet  not  merely  this,  but  to  prove  the  resurrection  of  the 
dead.  The  latter  was  the  question  at  issue.  The  word 
"living,"  as  used  by  our  Lord,  indicates  those  who  are 
enjoying  a  normal  life,  not  that  of  disembodied  spirits, 
but  of  immortal  spirits  clothed  with  deathless  bodies. 
Therefore  Jesus  added,  "for  all  live  unto  him."  In  the 
mind  and  purpose  of  God  all  are  to  be  raised  from  the 
dead  and  to  enjoy  that  complete  and  blessed  existence 
which  resurrection  implies.  The  confident  expectation 
of  such  a  future  state  is  based  on  our  relation  to  God.  If 
he  is  truly  our  God  and  we  are  his  people,  the  triumph  of 
death  is  not  real  and  permanent  but  will  be  ended  by  the 
glorious  immortality  of  the  body  and  of  the  soul. 

F.  THE  QUESTION  OF  JESUS.     Ch.  20:  41-44 

41  And  he  said  unto  them.  How  say  they  that  the  Christ  is 
David's  son?  42  For  David  himself  saith  in  the  book  of 
Psalms, 

The  Lord  said  unto  my  Lord, 
Sit  thou  on  my  right  hand, 
43  Till  I  make  thine   enemies  the  footstool  of  thy  feet. 
44  David  therefore  calleth  him  Lord,  and  how  is  he  his  son? 

Jesus  had  defeated  his  enemies  in  debate.  They  had 
come  to  him  with  a  series  of  crafty  questions  designed  to  dis- 
credit him  as  a  public  teacher  and  to  secure  some  ground 
for  his  arrest.  To  each  of  these  questions  he  had  given  a 
reply  by  which  his  foes  had  been  unmasked  and  condemned. 
He  then  asked  them  a  question.  It  was  intended  not 
only  forever  to  silence  his  foes,  though  it  accomplished 
this,  for  henceforth  no  man  ventured  to  meet  him  in 
public  discussion;  nor  yet  did  Jesus  desire  further  to 
humiliate  his  enemies.  In  the  presence  of  the  people  he 
had  already  shown  them  to  be  ridiculous,  contemptible, 
impotent,  and  insincere.  His  real  motive  was  to  ask  a 
question,  the  answer  to  which  would  embody  the  chief  of 
all  his  claims,  namely,  the  claim  that  he  is  divine.  It 
was  of  supreme  importance  that  this  claim  should  be  made 
at  exactly  this  time.  He  knew  that  the  rulers  had  been 
unable  to  find  a  charge  on  which  to  arraign  him  before 


Luke  20:  45-47  WARNING  AGAINST  THE  SCRIBES    187 

either  the  ecclesiastical  or  the  civil  court.  He  realized 
that  they  would  dare  to  make  no  other  attempt  in  public, 
but  he  clearly  foresaw  the  fact  that,  through  the  treachery 
of  Judas,  he  would  be  arrested  and,  before  both  these 
courts,  would  be  arraigned  on  the  charge  of  blasphemy. 
His  enemies  would  accuse  him  of  claiming  to  be  not  only 
the  Messiah  but  also  divine.  On  this  occasion,  therefore, 
in  the  presence  both  of  the  rulers  and  the  people,  he  made 
the  defense  which  never  can  be  broken  or  forgotten  as 
he  definitely  demonstrated  from  Scripture  that  the 
Messiah  was  described  by  the  inspired  writers  as  a  divine 
Being.  All  that  Jesus  claimed  for  himself,  as  recorded  in 
the  Gospel  of  John,  was  included  in  the  answer  which  was 
implied  by  the  question  which  he  now  asked.  Even  for  the 
present  day  it  involves  the  supreme  problem  in  the  sphere 
of  philosophy  and  religion.  This  problem  concerns  the 
person  of  Christ.  Is  he  to  be  regarded  as  Man  or  God, 
or  at  once  God  and  Man?  Where  is  he  to  be  placed  in  the 
scale  of  being  ;  or,  as  Jesus  voiced  the  problem,  how 
could  David  speak  of  the  coming  Messiah  as  both  his 
son  and  his  Lord?  There  was  but  one  answer.  There 
can  be  but  one.  The  Messiah  was  to  be  divine.  The 
son  of  David  is  also  the  Son  of  God.  The  incarnation 
is  the  only  solution  of  our  most  serious  difficulties  in  the 
realm  of  religious  belief.  By  his  question  Jesus  not  only 
silenced  his  enemies;  he  also  showed  their  insincerity 
in  condemning  him  to  death  and  their  rejection  of  the 
inspired  Scriptures  in  their  unwillingness  to  believe  the 
testimony  concerning  the  person  of  the  Messiah.  Jesus 
unquestionably  claimed  to  be  the  divine  Saviour  of  the 
world.    The  ideal  Man  is  also  the  incarnate  God. 

G.    THE  WARNING  AGAINST  THE  SCRIBES 
Ch.  20:  45-47 

45  And  in  the  hearing  of  all  the  people  he  said  unto  his 
disciples,  46  Beware  of  the  scribes,  who  desire  to  walk  in 
long  robes,  and  love  salutations  in  the  marketplaces,  and 
chief  seats  in  the  synagogues,  and  chief  places  at  feasts; 
47  who  devour  widows'  houses,  and  for  a  pretence  make  long 
prayers:  these  shall  receive  greater  condemnation. 


188  THE  CLOSING  MINISTRY     Luke  21:  1-3 

As  the  long  day  of  public  controversy  drew  to  its  close, 
it  was  not  strange  that  Jesus  turned  to  warn  the  people 
against  these  enemies  who  had  been  seeking  to  defeat  him 
and  who  were  determined  upon  his  death.  These  professed 
guides  could  not  be  followed  safely.  These  rulers  had  shown 
themselves  to  be  unworthy  of  their  place  and  power.  The 
people  must  look  elsewhere  for  true  teachers.  They 
must  find  other  men  to  interpret  for  them  the  will  of  God. 

The  scribes  were  the  professional  teachers  of  the  day, 
the  trained  expositors  of  the  Law.  Most  of  them  were 
Pharisees.  They  were  of  all  men  the  most  bitter  enemies 
of  Christ;  they  were  jealous  of  his  power;  they  were 
angered  at  his  claims;  and  finally  they  had  been  goaded 
to  desperation  by  their  humiliating  defeat  at  his  hands. 
Upon  these  men  Jesus  pronounced  the  most  stern  con- 
demnation. His  words  are  recorded  at  length  by  Matthew. 
In  the  brief  summary  of  the  discourse  made  by  Mark 
and  by  Luke  we  find  only  a  few  short  sentences  which 
sketch  three  principal  features  in  the  character  of  these 
unworthy  leaders  of  religious  thought.  The  first  is  their 
vanity,  their  ambition  for  display  and  for  high  position, 
and  their  love  of  flattery.  The  second  is  their  cruel 
avarice,  expressed  by  our  Lord  in  the  suggestive  clause, 
"who  devour  widows'  houses."  The  third  was  their 
shameful  hypocrisy;  they  are  described  as  men  who  "for  a 
pretence  make  long  prayers."  It  has  always  been  remarked 
that  the  most  bitter  denunciations  of  Jesus  were 
addressed  to  the  men  whose  outward  lives  were  most 
respectable  and  whose  religious  professions  were  most 
loud.  This  does  not  mean,  however,  that  open  vice  and 
flagrant  sin  are  better  than  selfish  and  proud  morality; 
but  it  does  remind  us  that  great  religious  privileges  and 
the  possession  of  revealed  truth  involve  solemn  responsi- 
bilities and  that  hypocrisy  and  pretense  are  abominations 
in  the  sight  of  God. 

H.  THE  WIDOW'S  MITES.    Ch.  21:  1-4 

1  And  he  looked  up,  and  saw  the  rich  men  that  were  casting 
their  gifts  into  the  treasury.  2  And  he  saw  a  certain  poor 
widow  casting  in  thither  two  mites.     3  And  he  said,  Of  a 


Luke  21:4  THE  PREDICTED  RETURN  189 

truth  I  say  unto  you,  This  poor  widow  cast  in  more  than  they 
all:  4  for  all  these  did  of  their  superfluity  cast  in  unto  the 
gifts ;  but  she  of  her  want  did  cast  in  all  the  living  that  she  had. 
What  a  contrast  this  charming  sketch  supplies  to  the 
picture  which  Jesus  drew  of  the  Pharisees!  In  the  eyes  of 
the  world  the  service  of  the  poor  widow  was  meager  and 
worthless,  while  the  gifts  of  the  hypocrites  were  costly  and 
great;  in  the  eyes  of  the  Lord  their  offerings  were  compara- 
tively worthless  and  she  gave  more  than  they  all.  As  a 
matter  of  fact,  she  had  brought  but  two  small  coins,  worth 
less  than  a  half  cent,  but  they  were  all  that  she  had. 
With  this  scene  in  mind  we  should  be  careful  not  to  call 
our  offerings  "mites"  unless  they  are  all  that  we  possess; 
we  should  be  encouraged,  however,  to  know  that  our  Lord 
looks  upon  the  heart  and  estimates  the  gift  by  the  motive 
and  the  love  and  the  sacrifice  involved;  above  all,  we 
should  be  reminded  that  we  can  best  measure  our  offer- 
ings not  by  what  we  give  but  by  how  much  we  keep. 
The  influence  of  the  woman  is  still  moving  multitudes 
toward  the  treasury  of  the  Lord. 

I.  THE  DESTRUCTION  OF  JERUSALEM  AND  THE 
COMING  OF  CHRIST.     Ch.  21:  5-38 

During  the  days  of  his  ministry  Jesus  frequently  pre- 
dicted his  death  and  also  his  return  to  glory.  He  saw  clearly 
before  him  a  cross  but  on  the  distant  horizon  a  throne. 
Again  and  again  he  had  warned  the  Jews  that  their 
rejection  of  him  and  of  his  call  to  repentance  would 
result  in  the  destruction  of  Jerusalem  and  in  the  anguish 
of  their  race,  and  quite  as  frequently  he  had  told  his 
disciples  that  while  indeed  he  was  to  die  and  rise  again, 
a  long  period  of  time  would  pass  before  he  would  return 
in  glory  to  establish  his  Kingdom.  The  great,  final 
discourse  relating  to  the  future  was  delivered  at  the  close 
of  his  last  day  of  public  controversy  and  teaching.  As 
Jesus  sat  with  his  disciples  on  the  slope  of  the  Mount  of 
Olives,  as  he  looked  westward  and  saw  the  sun  sinking 
behind  the  majestic  buildings  of  the  sacred  city,  he  realized 
that  in  truth  the  night  was  gathering  over  the  nation,  that 
his  own  day  of  earthly  ministry  was  done,  and  that  the 


190  THE  CLOSING  MINISTRY      Luke  21:5-7 

true  dawning  would  not  break  for  the  world  until  the 
Son  of  righteousness  should  arise  in  true  glory,  until  he 
himself  would  return  to  fill  the  earth  with  the  peace  and 
joy  and  splendor  of  his  universal  reign.  He,  therefore, 
told  his  disciples  with  much  detail  the  story  of  the 
approaching  destruction  of  Jerusalem  and  of  his  own 
return  after  the  long  years  of  faithful  service  and  of  eager 
waiting  which  were  appointed  for  his  followers. 

This  prophetic  discourse  of  Jesus  is  difficult  to  interpret; 
first  of  all,  because  it  is  phrased  in  figurative  terms,  the 
exact  meaning  of  which  is  not  always  apparent.  Again  it 
it  appears  that  we  have  only  a  partial  report  of  the  proph- 
ecies then  spoken  by  our  Lord ;  it  is  necessary  to  compare 
the  records  of  Matthew  and  Mark  with  the  statements 
here  given  by  Luke,  and  then  to  remember  that  we  have 
probably  only  a  fraction  of  the  whole  discourse.  In  the 
third  place,  it  is  evident  that  our  Lord  was  describing 
not  one  event,  but  two.  He  was  prophesying  the  literal 
overthrow  of  the  holy  city  by  the  armies  of  Rome,  but 
he  was  using  the  colors  of  this  tragic  scene  to  paint  the 
picture  of  his  own  return  in  glory.  So  interwoven  are 
these  two  series  of  predictions  that  it  is  not  always  evident 
whether  the  reference  is  to  the  nearer  or  to  the  more 
remote  of  these  events.  While  we  may  note  with  some 
definiteness  the  general  outline  of  the  prophecy  and  while 
there  need  be  little  doubt  as  to  its  two  outstanding  features, 
namely,  the  destruction  of  the  city  and  the  return  of  our 
Lord,  the  study  of  this  chapter  should  be  undertaken 
with  humility,  and  our  conclusions  should  be  stated  with 
caution  and  with  reserve.  The  result  need  not  be  be- 
wilderment or  despair;  it  should  be  encouragement  and 
more  confident  expectation  of  the  coming  of  Christ  and 
the  ultimate  triumph  of  his  cause. 

1.  The  Present  Age.     Ch.  21  :  5-19 

5  And  as  some  spake  of  the  temple,  how  it  was  adorned 
with  goodly  stones  and  offerings,  he  said,  6  As  for  these 
things  which  ye  behold,  the  days  will  come,  in  which  there 
shall  not  be  left  here  one  stone  upon  another,  that  shall  not 
be  thrown  down.    7  And  they  asked  him,  saying,  Teacher, 


Luke  21:8-19         THE  PREDICTED  RETURN  191 

when  therefore  shall  these  things  be?  and  what  shall  be  the 
sign  when  these  things  are  about  to  come  to  pass?  8  And  he 
said,  Take  heed  that  ye  be  not  led  astray:  for  many  shall  come 
in  my  name,  saying,  I  am  he;  and,  The  time  is  at  hand:  go 
ye  not  after  them.  9  And  when  ye  shall  hear  of  wars  and 
tumults,  be  not  terrified:  for  these  things  must  needs  come 
to  pass  first;  but  the  end  is  not  immediately. 

10  Then  said  he  unto  them,  Nation  shall  rise  against  nation, 
and  kingdom  against  kingdom;  11  and  there  shall  be  great 
earthquakes,  and  in  divers  places  famines  and  pestilences; 
and  there  shall  be  terrors  and  great  signs  from  heaven.  12 
But  before  all  these  things,  they  shall  lay  their  hands  on  you, 
and  shall  persecute  you,  delivering  you  up  to  the  synagogues 
arid  prisons,  bringing  you  before  kings  and  governors  for 
my  name's  sake.  13  It  shall  turn  out  unto  you  for  a  testimony. 
Settle  it  therefore  in  your  hearts,  not  to  meditate  beforehand 
how  to  answer:  15  for  I  will  give  you  a  mouth  and 
wisdom,  which  all  your  adversaries  shall  not  be  able  to  with- 
stand or  to  gainsay.  16  But  ye  shall  be  delivered  up  even  by 
parents,  and  brethren,  and  kinsfolk,  and  friends;  and  some 
of  you  shall  they  cause  to  be  put  to  death.  17  And  ye  shall 
be  hated  of  all  men  for  my  name's  sake.  18  And  not  a 
hair  of  your  head  shall  perish.  19  In  your  patience  ye  shall 
win  your  souls. 

The  occasion  of  this  prophetic  message  was  the  question 
asked  by  the  disciples,  as  they  gazed  on  the  splendor  of  the 
Temple,  concerning  the  destruction  of  which  Jesus  had 
spoken  as  he  declared  that  the  days  would  come  "in 
which  there  shall  not  be  left  here  one  stone  upon  another, 
that  shall  not  be  thrown  down.  And  they  asked  him, 
saying,  Teacher,  when  therefore  shall  these  things  be? 
and  what  shall  be  the  sign  when  these  things  are  about  to 
come  to  pass?"  In  the  words  of  Matthew,  they  also 
asked,  "What  shall  be  the  sign  of  thy  coming,  and  of  the 
end  of  the  world?" 

First  of  all,  then,  Jesus  sketched  for  his  disciples  the 
character  of  this  present  age  down  to  its  very  end,  and 
described  the  experiences  of  his  followers  urging  them  to 
be  faithful  to  him  amidst  all  the  commotions  and  trials 
of  the  coming  years  until  he  should  return.  According 
to  his  description  the  age  will  be  characterized  by  the 
appearance    of     many    deceivers     who    will    claim    the 


192  THE  CLOSING  MINISTRY  Luke  21:20-23 

allegiance  of  his  followers  and  assume  to  take  the  place 
of  Christ.  Furthermore,  there  will  be  wars  and  tumults 
but  by  these  believers  are  not  to  be  terrified.  It  is  always 
a  temptation  of  shallow  minds  to  interpret  every  unusual 
event  as  a  sign  of  the  approaching  end  of  the  world.  Our 
Lord  assured  his  disciples  that  all  through  the  passing 
years  such  events  would  happen  without  warranting  the 
conclusion  that  the  great  event  is  near;  as  he  declared, 
"The  end  is  not  immediately";  there  would  be  a  long 
period  of  delay;  there  would  be  a  political  commotion, 
"Nation  shall  rise  against  nation,  and  kingdom  against 
kingdom."  There  would  also  be  earthquakes,  famines, 
pestilences,  and  "great  signs  from  heaven,"  but  these 
again  must  be  regarded  as  characteristics  of  the  present 
age  and  not  as  signs  of  its  approaching  end. 

Furthermore,  the  followers  of  Christ  must  suffer  bitter 
persecution  and  be  brought  before  kings  and  governors  for 
his  name's  sake.  They  must  continue  steadfast  in  their 
testimony.  They  need  not  be  troubled  as  to  the  exact  form 
of  their  witness  but  must  trust  the  unseen  Master  to  give 
them  all  needed  wisdom  as  they  speak  boldly  in  his  name. 

Most  distressing  of  all,  they  must  suffer  from  the  treach- 
ery of  "parents  and  brethren,  and  kinsfolk,  and  friends" 
and  some  of  them  must  taste  the  bitter  cup  of  martyrdom; 
they  will  be  hated  of  all  men,  yet  their  souls  will  not 
perish.  By  their  steadfast  endurance  they  will  win 
eternal  salvation.  It  is  true,  the  picture  is  one  of  great 
hardship  and  distress  but  its  message  has  encouraged 
sufferers  who  in  all  ages  have  been  faithful  in  their  testi- 
mony and  have  found  the  comfort  and  inspiration  which 
is  possible  for  all  as  they  look  for  the  coming  and  Kingdom 
of  Christ. 

2.  The  Destruction  of  Jerusalem.     Ch.  21  :  20-24 

20  But  when  ye  see  Jerusalem  compassed  with  armies, 
then  know  that  her  desolation  is  at  hand.  21  Then  let  them 
that  are  in  Judaea  flee  unto  the  mountains;  and  let  them  that 
are  in  the  midst  of  her  depart  out;  and  let  not  them  that 
are  in  the  country  enter  therein.  22  For  these  are  days  of 
vengeance,  that  all  things  are  written  may  be  fulfilled.  23 
Woe  unto  them  that  are  with  child  and  them  that  give  suck 


Luke  21:24  THE  PREDICTED  RETURN  193 

in  those  days !  for  there  shall  be  great  distress  upon  the  land, 
and  wrath  unto  this  people.  24  And  they  shall  fall  by  the  edge 
of  the  sword,  and  shall  be  led  captive  into  all  the  nations: 
and  Jerusalem  shall  be  trodden  down  of  the  Gentiles,  until 
the  times  of  the  Gentiles  be  fulfilled. 

As  our  Lord  scanned  the  future  he  now  fixed  his  eyes 
first  of  all  upon  that  dreadful  event  which  in  some  of  its 
features  foreshadowed  the  end  of  that  age  which  he  had 
been  describing.  On  more  than  one  occasion  he  had 
predicted  the  destruction  of  Jerusalem.  He  now  declared 
that  the  definite  sign  of  the  descending  doom  would  be  the 
siege  of  the  city:  "When  ye  see  Jerusalem  compassed  with 
armies,  then  know  that  her  desolation  is  at  hand."  He 
warned  those  within  the  city  to  flee  to  the  mountains  and 
declared  that  those  who  were  in  the  country  should  not 
turn  to  the  city  for  safety,  because  the  days  of  vengeance 
will  have  come  and  the  prophecies  of  punishment  upon 
the  guilty  nation  will  be  about  to  be  fulfilled.  It  would 
be  a  time  of  unparalleled  distress  and  horror;  as  Jesus  de- 
clared, "They  shall  fall  by  the  edge  of  the  sword,  and  shall 
be  led  captive  into  all  the  nations."  How  literally  his 
words  were  fulfilled  is  a  familiar  fact  of  history.  It  would 
be  difficult  to  recall  another  scene  of  equally  hideous  car- 
nage. It  is  estimated  that  a  million  Jews  fell  victims 
to  the  slaughter  and  outrage  of  the  soldiers  under  Titus, 
and  that  unnumbered  thousands  were  led  as  captives  to 
Egypt  and  other  lands. 

Last  of  all  Jesus  predicted  that  Jerusalem  would  be 
"trodden  down  of  the  Gentiles,  until  the  times  of  the 
Gentiles  be  fulfilled."  The  first  phrase  denotes  something 
more  than  mere  domination  and  Gentile  control;  it  in- 
dicates something  of  indignity  and  disgrace  and  humiliation 
and  this  state  of  the  holy  city  is  to  continue  until  "the 
times  of  the  Gentiles"  are  fulfilled,  which  probably  means 
during  all  the  ages  of  Gentile  control,  and  further,  during 
all  the  seasons  of  grace  in  which  the  gospel  is  being  preached 
to  the  Gentile  world,  indeed,  until  the  return  of  our  Lord. 
"Gentiles"  are  plainly  contrasted  with  Jews,  and  not 
with  Christians.  The  mere  fact  that  the  sacred  city  has 
passed  into  control  of  Christian  powers  is  no  proof  that  the 


194  THE  CLOSING  MINISTRY  Luke  21: 25-28 

age  is  near  its  end;  for  this  end  there  will  be  definite  signs 
as  Jesus  himself  proceeded  to  declare.  However,  as  one 
turns  from  this  lurid  picture  of  the  destruction  of  the 
historic  city,  and  remembers  how  exactly  these  prophecies 
came  to  pass,  it  should  be  with  a  new  confidence  in  the 
further  predictions  made  by  Christ  and  with  a  new  belief 
that  the  more  significant  events  of  which  he  next  pro- 
ceeded to  speak  will  be  fulfilled  likewise  with  exactness  and 
in  all  their  promised  glory. 

3.     The  Coming  of  Christ.    Ch.21  :  25-28 

25  And  there  shall  be  signs  in  the  sun  and  moon  and  stars; 
and  upon  the  earth  distress  of  nations,  in  perplexity  for  the 
roaring  of  the  sea  and  the  billows;  26  men  fainting  for  fear, 
and  for  expectation  of  the  things  which  are  coming  on  the 
world:  for  the  powers  of  the  heavens  shall  be  shaken.  27 
And  then  shall  they  see  the  Son  of  man  coming  in  a  cloud 
with  power  and  great  glory.  28  But  when  these  filings  begin 
to  come  to  pass,  look  up,  and  lift  up  your  heads;  because 
your  redemption  draweth  nigh. 

Immediately  before  the  return  of  our  Lord,  as  the  age 
draws  to  its  close,  there  are  to  be  certain  signs  so  definite, 
so  startling,  and  so  terrifying,  that  they  will  leave  no  doubt 
that  the  predicted  event  is  immediately  to  follow.  They 
are  described,  however,  in  terms  which  may  be  largely 
figurative: "signs  in  the  sun  and  moon  and  stars;  and  upon 
the  earth  distress  of  nations,  in  perplexity  for  the  roaring 
of  the  sea  and  the  billows;  men  fainting  for  fear  .  .  .for  the 
powers  of  the  heavens  shall  be  shaken;"  then  will  occur 
the  event  toward  which  all  the  ages  are  moving,  for  which 
the  weary  world  has  waited  and  by  which  the  work  of  the 
Church  will  be  crowned  and  her  hopes  fulfilled,  namely, 
the  personal,  glorious  appearing  of  the  crucified,  risen, 
ascended  Lord.  It  may  be  a  time  of  distress  for  the 
impenitent  but  for  believers  it  will  be  a  time  of  hope 
and  expectation.  When  the  signs  of  which  Jesus  spoke 
"begin  to  come  to  pass,"  then,  according  to  the  words  of 
Jesus,  his  followers  may  hopefully  lift  up  their  heads  to 
greet  their  Deliverer,  for  their  redemption  will  be  at 
hand.     The  coming  of  Christ  will  be  an  event  unexpected 


Luke  21:29-36      THE  PREDICTED  RETURN  195 

by  the  world,  but  Christians  will  be  so  definitely  warned 
that  they  can  be  looking  for  the  promised  deliverance  and 
for  the  predicted  glory. 

4.  The  Encouragement  to  Hope  and  Vigilance.     Ch.  21  :  29-36 

29  And  he  spake  to  them  a  parable:  Behold  the  fig  tree,  and 
all  the  trees:  30  when  they  now  shoot  forth,  ye  see  it  and  know 
of  your  own  selves  that  the  summer  is  now  nigh.  31  Even 
so  ye  also,  when  ye  see  these  things  coming  to  pass,  know  ye 
that  the  kingdom  of  God  is  nigh.  32  Verily  I  say  unto  you, 
This  generation  shall  not  pass  away,  till  all  things  be  accom- 
plished. 33  Heaven  and  earth  shall  pass  away:  but  my 
words  shall  not  pass  away. 

34  But  take  heed  to  yourselves,  lest  haply  your  hearts  be 
overcharged  with  surfeiting,  and  drunkenness,  and  cares  of 
this  life,  and  that  day  come  on  you  suddenly  as  a  snare: 
35  for  so  shall  it  come  upon  all  them  that  dwell  on  the  face 
of  all  the  earth.  36  But  watch  ye  at  every  season,  making 
supplication,  that  ye  may  prevail  to  escape  all  these  things 
that  shall  come  to  pass,  and  to  stand  before  the  Son  of  man. 

In  speaking  of  his  return  in  glory,  Jesus  mentioned  cer- 
tain definite  signs  by  which  his  followers  will  know  that  his 
coming  is  near.  To  explain  more  clearly  the  purpose  of 
these  ''signs,"  Jesus  spoke  a  brief  parable  in  which  he  com- 
pared their  appearance  to  the  foliage  put  forth  in  the 
springtime  which  becomes  a  certain  harbinger  of  the  sum- 
mer. Many  have  supposed  that  Jesus  indicated  Israel  by 
his  reference  to  "the  fig  tree"  and  have  concluded  that  a 
revival  of  Judaism  and  a  return  of  the  Jews  to  Palestine 
will  be  a  certain  indication  that  the  present  age  is  drawing 
to  its  close.  Whatever  may  be  predicted  elsewhere  con- 
cerning the  Jews,  there  is  no  such  reference  here,  for  Jesus 
not  only  said,  "Behold  the  fig  tree,"  but  also,  "all  the 
trees."  His  meaning  is  perfectly  plain.  He  did  not  refer 
to  nations  under  the  figure  of  trees,  but  he  declared  that  as 
the  foliage  is  a  sure  precursor  of  summer,  so  the  signs  of 
which  he  spoke  are  a  certain  indication  of  his  imminent  re- 
turn. "Even  so  ye  also,  when  ye  see  these  things  coming  to 
pass,  know  ye  that  the  kingdom  of  God  is  nigh,"  the  King- 
dom which  is  to  be  established  in  glory  at  the  appearing  of 
our  Lord. 


196  THE  CLOSING  MINISTRY  Luke  21:  37,  38 

Jesus  further  awakened  the  expectation  of  his  hearers  by 
the  statement,  "This  generation  shall  not  pass  away,  till 
all  things  be  accomplished."  It  is  improbable,  as  again 
many  have  supposed,  that  Jesus  referred  to  the  Hebrew 
race  by  the  term  "this  generation."  The  words  are  almost 
certainly  to  be  interpreted  in  their  usual  significance  and 
"all  things"  to  be  "accomplished"  refers  to  the  destruction 
of  Jerusalem  regarded  as  the  type  and  symbol  of  the  return 
of  Christ.  These  two  events  are  thus  closely  related  in  this 
prophetic  discourse  and  the  literal  fulfillment  of  the  first 
gives  to  believers  a  more  confident  assurance  of  the  certain 
occurrence  of  the  latter:  "Heaven  and  earth  shall  pass 
away:  but  my  words  shall  not  pass  away."  The  hope  that 
our  Lord  will  come  is  not  based  on  human  conjectures,  but 
on  his  own  unfailing  predictions.  All  that  is  material  and 
temporal  may  cease  to  exist,  but  his  promises  are  eternal. 

In  view  of  such  glorious  prophecies  the  heart  of  the 
Christian  is  ever  to  be  set  upon  the  gracious  realities  re- 
lating to  the  coming  of  the  Master.  The  followers  of 
Christ  must  be  on  their  guard  lest  they  be  overcome  by  the 
influences  which  Jesus  described  as  characterizing  the  days 
immediately  preceding  his  return.  There  will  be  tempta- 
tion to  self-indulgence  and  indifference  and  absorption  in 
worldly  cares.  Believers  are  warned  to  be  on  their  watch 
lest  the  coming  of  Christ  overtake  them  unexpectedly,  as 
indeed  it  will  come  upon  others.  They  are  urged  to  watch 
and  to  pray  that  they  may  be  able  to  escape  from  those 
judgments  which  will  break  upon  a  guilty  world,  and  may 
be  counted  worthy  to  take  their  places  in  the  glorious  King- 
dom of  their  Lord. 

5.  The  Historic  Statement.  Ch.  21  :  37,  38 

37  And  every  day  he  was  teaching  in  the  temple ;  and  every 
night  he  went  out,  and  lodged  in  the  mount  that  was  called 
Olivet.  38  And  all  the  people  came  early  in  the  morning  to 
him  in  the  temple,  to  hear  him. 

Luke  closes  his  account  of  the  discourse  delivered  by 
Jesus  in  reference  to  his  return  by  a  statement  which  sum- 
marizes the  general  conditions  which  marked  the  final 
events  of  Jesus'  earthly  ministry.     He  states  that  Jesus 


Luke  21:37,28    THE  PREDICTED  RETURN  197 

passed  his  days  teaching  in  the  Temple  and  spent  the 
nights  under  the  open  skies  on  the  slopes  of  the  Mount  of 
Olives,  and  that  the  people  were  so  eager  to  hear  him  that 
they  resorted  to  the  Temple  early  each  morning.  This 
statement  is  rather  in  the  nature  of  a  review.  It  marks  a 
transition  in  the  narrative.  In  reality,  Jesus  seems  to  have 
returned  to  the  city  only  once  more,  when  he  was  arrested 
and  led  forth  to  die.  Luke  prepares  us  for  these  last  events. 
The  story  has  reached  its  climax. 


198     THE  DEATH  AND  RESURRECTION     Luke  22 :  1-6 


VII.  The  Death  and  Resurrection.    Chs.  22  to  24 

A.  THE  TREACHERY  OF  JUDAS.     Ch.  22:  1-6 

1  Now  the  feast  of  unleavened  bread  drew  nigh,  which  is 
called  the  Passover.  2  And  the  chief  priests  and  the  scribes 
sought  how  they  might  put  him  to  death;  for  they  feared  the 
people. 

3  And  Satan  entered  into  Judas  who  was  called  Iscariot, 
being  of  the  number  of  the  twelve.  4  And  he  went  away, 
and  communed  with  the  chief  priests  and  captains,  how  he 
might  deliver  him  unto  them.  5  And  they  were  glad,  and 
covenanted  to  give  him  money.  6  And  he  consented,  and 
sought  opportunity  to  deliver  him  unto  them  in  the  absence 
of  the  multitude. 

The  statement  that  "the  feast  of  unleavened  bread  drew 
nigh,  which  is  called  the  Passover,"  forms  a  fitting  preface 
to  the  story  of  the  passion,  for  the  Hebrew  feast  commem- 
orated the  deliverance  of  Israel  when  the  angel  of  death 
passed  over  the  homes  which  were  marked  with  blood,  and 
now  a  greater  redemption  was  to  be  purchased  by  the 
blood  of  Christ,  and  those  who  would  accept  his  salvation 
were  to  put  away  sin  from  their  lives,  even  as  leaven  was 
excluded  from  Hebrew  homes  during  all  the  days  of  the 
feast. 

The  rulers  of  the  Jews  had  already  determined  upon  the 
death  of  Jesus.  Their  problem  lay  in  his  immense  popular- 
ity. They  were  determining  to  delay  until  after  the  feast, 
when  the  great  crowds  would  have  left  the  city,  when  sud- 
denly help  came  to  them  from  a  most  unexpected  quarter. 
Judas  Iscariot,  one  of  the  twelve  immediate  followers  of 
Jesus,  offered  to  betray  his  Master  into  the  hands  of  the 
rulers  at  such  a  time  and  place  as  they  desired,  namely,  "in 
the  absence  of  the  multitude."  Of  course  the  chief  priests 
and  the  officers  of  the  Temple  guard  "were  glad"  and  con- 
tracted to  pay  the  money  demanded  by  the  traitor  for  his 
treachery.  Luke  states  that  Judas  acted  under  the  direc- 
tion of  Satan.     We  are  not  to  conclude,  however,  that  he 


Luke  22: 7-23  THE  LAST  SUPPER  199 

was  a  demoniac  or  that  he  lacked  control  of  his  faculties. 
His  act  was  deliberate,  unsolicited,  and  without  excuse. 
The  explanation  is  that  he  long  had  been  cherishing  his  lust 
for  gold.  He  had  listened  to  the  suggestion  of  Satan  and 
now  he  yielded  himself  to  his  foul  service.  The  alarming 
truth  is  that  the  treachery  of  Judas  was  not  the  act  of  a 
unique  monster,  but  only  an  example  of  what,  finally,  may 
be  done  by  any  man  who,  in  daily  fellowship  with  Jesus, 
does  not  renounce  his  one  besetting  sin.  To  resist  contin- 
ually the  gracious  influence  of  the  Saviour  is  to  fall  the  more 
rapidly  under  the  complete  power  of  Satan. 

B.  THE  LAST  SUPPER.     Ch.  22:  7-38 

7  And  the  day  of  unleavened  bread  came,  on  which  the 
passover  must  be  sacrificed.  8  And  he  sent  Peter  and  John, 
saying,  Go  and  make  ready  for  us  the  passover,  that  we  may 
eat.  9  And  they  said  unto  him,  Where  wilt  thou  that  we  make 
ready?  10  And  he  said  unto  them,  Behold,  when  ye 
are  entered  into  the  city,  there  shall  meet  you  a  man 
bearing  a  pitcher  of  water;  follow  him  into  the  house  where- 
into  he  goeth.  11  And  ye  shall  say  unto  the  Master  of  the 
house,  The  Teacher  saith  unto  thee,  Where  is  the  guest- 
chamber,  where  I  shall  eat  the  passover  with  my  disciples? 
12  And  he  will  show  you  a  large  upper  room  furnished:  there 
make  ready.  13  And  they  went,  and  found  as  he  had  said 
unto  them:  and  they  made  ready  the  passover. 

14  And  when  the  hour  was  come,  he  sat  down,  and  the 
apostles  with  him.  15  And  he  said  unto  them,  With  desire 
I  have  desired  to  eat  this  passover  with  you  before  I  suffer: 
16  For  I  say  unto  you,  I  shall  not  eat  it,  until  it  be  fulfilled  in 
the  kingdom  of  God.  17  And  he  received  a  cup,  and  when 
he  had  given  thanks,  he  said,  Take  this,  and  divide  it  among 
yourselves:  18  for  I  say  unto  you,  I  shall  not  drink  from 
henceforth  of  the  fruit  of  the  vine,  until  the  kingdom  of  God 
shall  come.  19  And  he  took  bread,  and  when  he  had  given 
thanks,  he  brake  it,  and  gave  to  them,  saying,  This  is  my 
body  which  is  given  for  you:  this  do  in  remembrance  of  me. 
20  And  the  cup  in  like  manner  after  supper,  saying,  This  cup 
is  the  new  covenant  in  my  blood,  even  that  which  is  poured 
out  for  you.  21  But  behold,  the  hand  of  him  that  betrayeth 
me  is  with  me  on  the  table.  22  For  the  Son  of  man  indeed 
goeth,  as  it  hath  been  determined:  but  woe  unto  that  man 
through  whom  he  is  betrayed !    23  And  they  began  to  question 


200  THE  DEATH  AND  RESURRECTION  Luke  22:  24-38 

among  themselves,  which  of  them  it  was  that  should  do  this 
thing. 

24  And  there  rose  also  a  contention  among  them,  which 
of  them  was  accounted  to  be  the  greatest.  25  And  he  said  unto 
them,  The  kings  of  the  Gentiles  have  lordship  over  them; 
and  they  that  have  authority  over  them  are  called  Benefactors. 
26  But  ye  shall  not  be  so:  but  he  that  is  the  greater  among 
you,  let  him  become  as  the  younger;  and  he  that  is  chief,  as 
he  that  doth  serve.  27  For  which  is  greater,  he  that  sitteth 
at  meat,  or  he  that  serveth?  is  not  he  that  sitteth  at  meat? 
but  I  am  in  the  midst  of  you  as  he  that  serveth.  28  But  ye  are 
they  that  have  continued  with  me  in  my  temptations ;  29  and  I 
appoint  unto  you  a  kingdom,  even  as  my  Father  appointed 
unto  me,  30  that  ye  may  eat  and  drink  at  my  table  in  my 
kingdom;  and  ye  shall  sit  on  thrones  judging  the  twelve 
tribes  of  Israel.  31  Simon,  Simon,  behold,  Satan  asked  to 
have  you,  that  he  might  sift  you  as  wheat:  32  but  I  made 
supplication  for  thee,  that  thy  faith  fail  not;  and  do  thou, 
when  once  thou  hast  turned  again,  establish  thy  brethren. 
33  And  he  said  unto  him,  Lord,  with  thee  I  am  ready  to  go 
both  to  prison  and  to  death.  34  And  he  said,  I  tell  thee,  Peter, 
the  cock  shall  not  crow  this  day,  until  thou  shalt  thrice  deny 
that  thou  knowest  me. 

35  And  he  said  unto  them,  When  I  sent  you  forth  without 
purse,  and  wallet,  and  shoes,  lacked  ye  anything?  And  they 
said,  Nothing.  36  And  he  said  unto  them,  But  now,  he  that 
that  hath  a  purse,  let  him  take  it,  and  likewise  a  wallet;  and 
he  that  hath  none,  let  him  sell  his  cloak,  and  buy  a  sword. 
37  For  I  say  unto  you,  that  this  which  is  written  must  be 
fulfilled  in  me,  And  he  was  reckoned  with  transgressors: 
for  that  which  concerneth  me  hath  fulfillment.  38  And  they 
said,  Lord,  behold,  here  are  two  swords.  And  he  said  unto 
them,  It  is  enough. 

The  last  meal  of  which  Jesus  partook  with  his  disciples 
was  a  passover  feast,  and  it  was  the  occasion  of  the  estab- 
lishment of  that  sacrament  which  is  known  as  the  Lord's 
Supper.  The  passover  called  to  mind  a  national  deliver- 
ance in  the  past  and  pointed  forward  to  a  greater  deliver- 
ance to  come,  which  was  effected  by  the  death  of  Christ. 
The  Lord's  Supper  points  us  backward  to  the  great  redemp- 
tion he  achieved  by  his  atoning  death,  and  forward  to  the 
fuller  redemption  he  will  accomplish  in  his  return.  The 
"Last  Supper"  may  rightly  be  reviewed  in  connection  with 


Luke  22: 24-38        THE  LAST  SUPPER  201 

the  Christian  sacrament,  and  the  story  here  recorded  may 
intimate  to  us  how  this  sacrament  may  be  most  helpfully 
observed. 

1.  It  must  be  for  us  a  time  of  retirement.  So  far  as 
possible  we  must  exclude  all  distracting  thoughts  and  fix 
our  minds  upon  Christ  and  his  redeeming  love.  Jesus 
made  such  provision  for  his  disciples.  He  sent  Peter  and 
John  to  the  city  to  prepare  a  room  in  which  he  might  par- 
take of  the  passover  with  his  disciples,  but  he  was  careful 
to  provide  against  any  possible  interruption.  He  did  not 
mention  to  the  disciples  the  place  of  meeting.  Had  he 
done  so,  Judas  would  have  disclosed  the  place  to  the  ene- 
mies who  would  have  arrested  Jesus  in  the  midst  of  the 
supper.  Our  Lord  was  careful  to  say  to  the  two  disciples 
that  as  they  entered  the  city  there  would  meet  them  "a 
man  bearing  a  pitcher  of  water";  they  were  to  follow 
him  into  the  house  and  were  there  to  prepare  the  pass- 
over.  According  to  the  account  of  the  other  evangelists, 
it  seems  that  after  the  passover  feast  had  been  eaten  and 
before  Jesus  established  his  memorial  supper,  he  dismissed 
Judas  from  the  circle.  Surely  it  must  be  our  endeavor 
to  shut  out  from  our  hearts  all  traitorous  and  intrusive 
thoughts,  that  during  the  sacred  service  we  may  be  con- 
sciously  alone  with  our  Lord. 

2.  It  is  to  be  a  time  of  communion.  Our  Lord  had 
eagerly  looked  forward  to  those  hours  to  be  spent  with  his 
disciples  in  unbroken  fellowship.  He  had  much  to  tell 
them.  He  knew  it  was  to  be  a  season  of  tender  farewell, 
and  he  wished  to  strengthen  them  by  messages  of  cheer  and 
of  hope.  Probably  in  the  whole  Bible  there  are  no  chap- 
ters more  familiar,  more  tender,  more  helpful,  than  those 
written  by  John  containing  the  words  spoken  by  our  Lord 
in  the  upper  room  on  the  occasion  of  this  Last  Supper.  To 
those  whose  hearts  are  prepared,  the  unseen  Lord  is  surely 
present  and  ready  to  speak,  through  the  appointed  symbols 
and  by  his  Spirit,  truths  which  will  inspire  strength  and  joy. 

3.  It  is  to  be  a  season  of  gratitude.  The  sacrament  has 
often  been  called  the  "Eucharist,"  the  service  of  "thanks- 
giving," for  we  then  call  to  mind  the  infinite  benefits  se- 
cured for  us  by  the  atoning  death  of  our  Lord.     This  is  the 


202  THE  DEATH  AND  RESURRECTION  Luke  22:  24-38 

supreme  purpose  of  the  feast.  Jesus  stated  this  clearly 
when  establishing  it;  the  bread  was  to  call  to  mind  his  body- 
broken  for  us,  and  the  wine  was  to  be  a  symbol  of  his  blood, 
which  as  he  said  to  his  disciples,  was  to  be  poured  out  for 
them.  This  supper  is  therefore  to  be  a  memorial  of  redeem- 
ing grace ;  it  is  to  show  forth  the  Lord's  death,  as  he  himself 
said,    "This  do  in  remembrance  of  me." 

4.  It  is  to  be  a  time  of  hope.  Even  under  the  shadow  of 
the  cross  our  Lord  pointed  his  disciples  to  the  glory  of  his 
throne ;  while  their  hearts  were  torn  by  the  thought  of  sep- 
aration, he  reminded  them  of  a  reunion  when  they  would 
eat  and  drink  together  "in  the  kingdom  of  God."  He  de- 
clared that  they  were  to  have  a  time  of  temptation,  but  if 
they  suffered  with  him,  they  would  also  reign  with  him.  "I 
appoint  unto  you  a  kingdom,  even  as  my  Father  appointed 
unto  me,  that  ye  may  eat  and  drink  at  my  table  in  my  king- 
dom." Thus  the  communion  season  is  a  time  when  we  es- 
pecially look  forward  to  glad  reunions  with  those  who  have 
passed  on  before.  We  cheer  our  hearts  with  visions  of 
coming  glory.  Under  the  darkest  shadows  we  look  for  the 
opening  skies  and  for  the  return  of  Christ;  we  "proclaim 
the  Lord's  death  till  he  come." 

5.  It  is  a  time  of  consecration.  While  the  disciples 
were  seated  at  the  table  they  were  disputing  as  to  which  of 
them  was  greatest.  Our  Saviour  gave  them  a  memorable 
example  when  he  stooped  down  and  washed  their  feet,  and 
then  most  impressively  he  explained  to  them  the  character 
of  true  greatness  and  showed  that  its  essence  lay  in  service; 
to  quote  his  own  words,  "He  that  is  the  greater  among  you, 
let  him  become  as  the  younger;  and  he  that  is  chief,  as  he 
that  doth  serve."  As  we  turn  from  the  table  of  our  Lord  it 
should  ever  be  with  a  desire  to  go  forth  in  his  name  and  to 
do  anything  in  our  power  to  serve  our  fellow  men,  and  to 
follow  in  his  footsteps  who  came  "not  to  be  ministered  unto 
but  to  minister,  and  to  give  his  life  a  ransom  for  many." 

6.  It  should  be  a  time  of  humility,  when  we  realize  anew 
our  weakness  and  our  dependence  upon  Christ  and  his  sus- 
taining grace.  Jesus  found  it  necessary  to  warn  his  dis- 
ciples concerning  their  coming  temptations  and  trials,  and 
particularly  to  foretell  the  fall  of  Peter.     Turning  to  the 


Luke  22: 24-38  THE  LAST  SUPPER  203 

impulsive,  affectionate,  fickle  disciple,  who  seems  to  have 
been  the  leader  of  the  apostolic  band,  he  told  him  that 
Satan  had  desired  to  have  the  disciples,  to  sift  them  as 
wheat,  but  that  Jesus  himself  had  made  special  prayer  for 
Peter  that  his  faith  should  not  fail,  even  though  Jesus  fore- 
saw that  for  a  time  his  courage  would  give  way  and  that  he 
would  deny  his  Master.  He  urged  Peter,  however,  to  re- 
pent after  his  fall  and  to  encourage  his  fellow  disciples. 
Such  a  statement  of  the  weakness  and  unfaithfulness  which 
Peter  was  to  manifest  seemed  incredible  to  him  and  he  pro- 
tested, "Lord,  with  thee  I  am  ready  to  go  both  to  prison 
and  to  death."  But  Jesus  sadly  replied,  "I  tell  thee,  Peter, 
the  cock  shall  not  crow  this  day,  until  thou  shalt  thrice 
deny  that  thou  knowest  me." 

It  is  impossible  to  observe  the  Lord's  Supper  without 
memories  of  past  failure,  and  it  is  only  too  true  that  similar 
experiences  of  weakness  will  be  shown  in  days  to  come. 
Every  such  disloyalty  gives  pain  to  our  Lord,  but  if  our 
hearts  are  really  yielded  to  him,  our  faults  will  be  followed 
by  true  repentance.  If  we  really  trust  in  him,  he  is  ready 
to  pardon;  as  he  prayed  for  Peter,  so  he  is  praying  for  us; 
though  we  at  times  stumble,  he  will  not  allow  us  utterly  to 
fall.  He  is  able  to  save  "to  the  uttermost  .  .  .  seeing  he 
ever  liveth  to  make  intercession"  for  us. 

7.  This  should  be  a  time  of  new  resolution.  We  should 
be  humble  and  trustful  in  view  of  past  and  of  possible  fu- 
ture failures,  but  we  should  determine  to  stand  firmly  in 
the  strength  which  the  Master  supplies.  He  told  his  fol- 
lowers in  the  upper  room  of  the  changed  conditions  which 
they  were  to  meet  when  he  had  been  taken  from  them. 
The  enemies  who  would  take  his  life  would  surely  not  treat 
his  disciples  with  kindness.  He  assured  them  that  they 
were  now  to  be  left  more  to  their  own  resources  and  that 
they  were  to  meet  with  the  most  bitter  hostility.  He  even 
suggested  that  it  would  be  necessary  for  each  one  to  buy 
a  sword.  They  took  his  words  with  absurd  literalness  and 
they  said,  "Lord,  behold,  here  are  two  swords."  It  was 
with  sad  irony  that  Jesus  replied,  "It  is  enough."  Of 
course,  he  did  not  mean  that  his  followers  are  to  use  vio- 
lence or  are  to  extend  the  gospel  by  means  of  force.     He 


204  THE  DEATH  AND  RESURRECTION  Luke  22:39-46 

only  wished  us  to  be  warned  and  to  resolve  anew  that  in  the 
spiritual  conflict  which  awaits  us  we  shall  be  true  to  him  as 
loyal  soldiers  of  the  cross.  We  go  forth  to  battle,  but  on 
some  brighter  morrow  we  shall  be  seated  with  him  at  a 
heavenly  feast  with  banquet  and  song. 

C.  THE  AGONY  IN  GETHSEMANE.     Ch.  22:  39-46 

39  And  he  came  out,  and  went,  as  his  custom  was,  unto 
the  mount  of  Olives;  and  the  disciples  also  followed  him. 
40  And  when  he  was  at  the  place,  he  said  unto  them,  Pray 
that  ye  enter  not  into  temptation.  41  And  he  was  parted 
from  them  about  a  stone's  cast;  and  he  kneeled  down  and 
prayed,  42  saying,  Father,  if  thou  be  willing,  remove  this  cup 
from  me:  nevertheless  not  my  will,  but  thine,  be  done.  43 
And  there  appeared  unto  him  an  angel  from  heaven,  strength- 
ening him.  44  And  being  in  an  agony  he  prayed  more  ear- 
nestly; and  his  sweat  became  as  it  were  great  drops  of  blood 
falling  down  upon  the  ground.  45  And  when  he  rose  up  from 
his  prayer,  he  came  unto  the  disciples,  and  found  them 
sleeping  for  sorrow,  46  and  said  unto  them,  Why  sleep  ye? 
rise  and  pray,  that  ye  enter  not  into  temptation. 

From  the  quiet  fellowship  in  the  upper  room  Jesus  with 
his  disciples,  under  the  shadow  of  the  night,  went  forth  to 
the  Garden  of  Gethsemane,  a  favorite  resort  on  the  slope  of 
the  Mount  of  Olives,  and  he  there  experienced  that  un- 
equaled  anguish  of  soul  which  is  commonly  known  as  his 
"agony."  To  enter  the  sacred  privacy  of  that  scene  even 
in  imagination  seems  to  be  an  intrusion,  and  yet  some 
glimpses  have  been  revealed  for  our  instruction  and  encour- 
agement as  his  disciples. 

There  can  be  no  doubt  that  this  distress  which  seized 
him  was  due  to  his  clear  vision  of  the  death  he  was  to  en- 
dure on  the  following  day;  and  this  very  agony  adds  be- 
yond measure  to  the  meaning  and  the  mystery  of  that 
death.  For  any  sensitive  soul  to  shrink  from  pain  and 
anguish  is  but  natural  and  pardonable ;  yet  if  Jesus  suffered 
such  imcomparable  agony  simply  in  view  of  physical  tor- 
ture, he  was  less  heroic  than  many  of  his  followers  have 
been.  If,  however,  in  the  hour  of  death,  he  was  to  be  so 
identified  with  sin  as  to  become  the  Redeemer  of  the 
world;  if  he  was  "to  give  his  life  a  ransom  for  many";  if 


Luke  22:47-52      THE  ARREST  OF  JESUS  205 

his  experience  as  the  Lamb  of  God  was  to  be  absolutely 
unique;  if  he  was  to  endure  the  hiding  of  his  Father's  face, 
then  we  can  understand  why  it  was  that  in  the  dark  hour 
of  anticipation  his  soul  was  sorrowful  "even  unto  death." 
The  agony  of  our  Lord  must  never  be  supposed  to  reflect 
upon  his  human  heroism;  it  is  rather  a  proof  of  his  divine 
atonement.  The  "cup"  which  Jesus  was  asked  to  drink 
consisted  of  death  as  "the  Bearer  of  sin." 

In  this  hour  of  most  bitter  trial  Jesus  found  relief  in 
prayer.  He  had  come  to  Gethsemane  that  he  might  be 
alone  with  God.  He  had  exhorted  his  disciples  to  follow 
his  example.  When  the  agony  most  fiercely  gripped  his 
lonely  heart  he  still  prayed  and  he  was  heard.  The  cup 
was  not  removed,  but  "There  appeared  unto  him  an  angel 
from  heaven,  strengthening  him."  He  was  given  grace 
to  drain  the  cup  to  its  very  dregs  and  death  lost  its  sting 
and  the  grave  its  terror.  He  was  fitted  for  perfect  sym- 
pathy with  those  who  are  called  upon  to  face  the  mystery 
of  "unanswered  prayer."  "He  became  unto  all  them  that 
obey  him  the  author  of  eternal  salvation." 

Jesus  prayed  in  faith;  and  the  very  essence  of  such  be- 
lieving prayer  is  the  willingness  to  obey.  This  was  the  pe- 
tition which  comes  to  us  as  an  example,  "Nevertheless  not 
my  will,  but  thine,  be  done."  He  won  his  victory  by  com- 
plete submission  to  the  will  of  his  Father.  Henceforth 
there  was  no  more  struggle.  He  turned  with  unfaltering 
step  to  meet  betrayal  and  agony  and  death.  The  hour 
struck  and  he  was  ready.     "He  was  well  content." 

D.  THE  ARREST  OF  JESUS,     Ch.  22:47-53 

47  While  he  yet  spake,  behold,  a  multitude,  and  he  that 
was  called  Judas,  one  of  the  twelve,  went  before  them;  and 
he  drew  near  unto  Jesus  to  kiss  him.  48  But  Jesus  said 
unto  him,  Judas,  betrayest  thou  the  Son  of  man  with  a  kiss? 
49  And  when  they  that  were  about  him  saw  what  would 
follow,  they  said,  Lord,  shall  we  smite  with  the  sword?  50 
And  a  certain  one  of  them  smote  the  servant  of  the  high 
priest,  and  struck  off  his  right  ear.  51  But  Jesus  answered 
and  said,  Suffer  ye  them  thus  far.  And  he  touched  his  ear, 
and  healed  him.  52  And  Jesus  said  unto  the  chief  priests, 
and  captains  of  the  temple,  and  elders,  that  were  come  against 


206  THE  DEATH  AND  RESURRECTION       Luke  22:  53 

him,  Are  ye  come  out,  as  against  a  robber,  with  swords  and 
staves?  53  When  I  was  daily  with  you  in  the  temple,  ye 
stretched  not  forth  your  hands  against  me:  but  this  is  your 
hour,  and  the  power  of  darkness. 

The  manner  in  which  Judas  concluded  his  foul  crime  was 
in  perfect  keeping  with  its  essential  baseness.  He  led  a 
multitude  armed  with  swords  and  clubs  into  the  Garden 
where  his  Master  was  wont  to  retire  for  prayer,  and  there 
betrayed  him  with  a  kiss,  a  sign  which  had  been  agreed 
upon  in  order  that,  in  the  deep  shadows,  one  of  the  disciples 
might  not  be  mistaken  for  the  Master  and  arrested  in  his 
place.  A  kiss  was  a  usual  sign  of  friendship,  but  the  manner 
of  Judas  and  the  rebuke  of  Jesus  indicate  that  it  was  given 
with  a  false  semblance  of  deep  affection  and  was  thus  the 
more  repulsive  to  the  Lord.  Acts  of  disloyalty  to  Christ 
are  even  more  distressing  to  him  in  surroundings  which  are 
sacred  and  when  committed  by  those  who  have  made  loud 
protestations  of  love. 

The  fearless  composure  of  the  Master  is  now  contrasted 
with  the  conduct  of  his  followers.  They  asked  whether 
they  should  defend  him  with  the  sword,  and  before  he  could 
reply,  Peter  rashly  smote  the  servant  of  the  high  priest  and 
cut  off  his  right  ear.  To  this  act  Jesus  made  reply,  "Suffer 
ye  them  thus  far";  the  exact  meaning  is  not  certain,  but 
probably  he  was  addressing  his  disciples  to  prevent  further 
violence.  He  then  touched  the  ear  of  the  servant  and 
healed  him.  Only  Luke,  "the  beloved  physician,"  men- 
tions this  "unique  miracle  of  surgery."  The  incident  has 
its  message  for  disciples  in  all  ages.  Violence  and  cruelty 
in  the  defense  of  the  cause  of  Christ  misrepresent  him  to  the 
world.  The  act  of  Peter  gave  countenance  to  charges 
which  would  be  preferred  against  Jesus,  and  further  resist- 
ance would  have  compromised  the  position  of  his  Lord. 
However  well  intended,  such  rash  defenses  weaken  the 
cause  they  are  designed  to  promote. 

Jesus  turned  to  rebuke  his  enemies  and  resented  the  fact 
that  they  had  come  against  him  as  against  a  robber  with 
swords  and  clubs.  He  reminded  them  that  daily  he  had 
taught  in  public.  Their  coming  with  violence,  in  secrecy; 
and  under  the  cover  of  night,  was  a  proof  that  the  arrest 


Luke  22: 54-62  PETER'S  DENIAL  207 

was  false  and  that  it  could  not  be  justified.  There  had  been 
abundant  opportunities  during  many  days  to  seize  him  in 
public  when  he  was  unprotected.  Their  present  course 
bore  its  own  condemnation;  but  he  added  mournfully, 
"This  is  your  hour,  and  the  power  of  darkness."  In  the 
mystery  of  his  providence  God  was  allowing  this  iniquity. 
He  was  giving  this  temporary  authority  to  the  forces  of  evil 
It  was  to  be  a  brief  hour,  but  those  who  willingly  put  it  to 
such  a  use  would  incur  eternal  condemnation.  Nothing  is 
more  solemn  than  the  possibility  of  using  for  evil  ends  the 
liberty  allotted  us  of  God. 

E.  PETER'S  DENIAL.    Ch.  22:54-62 

54  And  they  seized  him,  and  led  him  away,  and  brought 
him  into  the  high  priest's  house.    But  Peter  followed  afar  off. 

55  And  when  they  had  kindled  a  fire  in  the  midst  of  the  court, 
and  had  sat  down  together,  Peter  sat  in  the  midst  of  them. 

56  And  a  certain  maid  seeing  him  as  he  sat  in  the  light  of 
the  fire,  and  looking  stedfastly  upon  him,  said,  This  man 
also  was  with  him.  57  But  he  denied,  saying,  Woman,  I 
know  him  not.  58  And  after  a  little  while  another  saw  him, 
and  said,  Thou  also  art  one  of  them.  But  Peter  said,  Man, 
I  am  not.  59  And  after  the  space  of  about  one  hour  another 
confidently  affirmed,  saying,  Of  a  truth  this  man  also  was 
with  him;  for  he  is  a  Galilaean.  60  But  Peter  said,  Man,  I 
know  not  what  thou  sayest.  And  immediately,  while  he  yet 
spake,  the  cock  crew.  61  And  the  Lord  turned,  and  looked 
upon  Peter.  And  Peter  remembered  the  word  of  the  Lord, 
how  that  he  said  unto  him,  Before  the  cock  crow  this  day 
thou  shalt  deny  me  thrice.  62  And  he  went  out,  and  wept 
bitterly. 

Peter  really  loved  Jesus  and  his  faith  in  him  never  failed ; 
but  in  the  hour  of  trial,  which  Jesus  had  predicted,  Peter 
lost  courage  and  denied  his  Lord.  His  sin,  however,  was 
unlike  that  of  Judas.  The  latter  was  the  final  step  in  a 
downward  course.  The  former  was  an  act  of  cowardice  in 
a  career  of  moral  development  which  resulted  in  blessing 
and  service  to  all  the  followers  of  Christ. 

The  fall  of  Peter  may  be  traced  to  his  self-confidence. 
When  he  protested  that  he  would  be  true  to  Christ,  even 
though  all  should  forsake  him,  he  was  sincere  and  expressed 


208  THE  DEATH  AND  RESURRECTION  Luke  22:  54-62 

the  true  feeling  of  his  heart,  but  he  betrayed  his  pride.  The 
immediate  result  was  his  failure  to  obey  the  Master  and  to 
watch  and  pray  as  he  had  been  bidden;  and  consequently 
he  was  surprised  and  stunned  by  the  arrest  of  Jesus,  and 
like  the  other  disciples,  after  a  rash  stroke  in  his  defense,  he 
forsook  Jesus  and  fled.  He  followed  Jesus  to  the  palace  of 
the  high  priest  but  hoped  to  conceal  his  discipleship  and  to 
be  regarded  as  one  of  the  excited  crowd. 

Every  follower  of  Christ  is  in  mortal  danger  when  confi- 
dent of  his  moral  strength  and  especially  when  at  the  same 
time  he  is  ashamed  to  be  publicly  known  as  a  disciple,  and 
most  of  all  when  he  feels,  as  Peter  probably  felt,  that  con- 
fessed loyalty  to  Christ  can  under  the  circumstances  be  of 
no  special  help  to  his  Lord.  At  such  a  time  when  the  cause 
of  Jesus  seemed  hopeless,  when  the  courage  of  Peter  was 
gone,  when  he  was  wearied  by  the  long  night  of  sleepless- 
ness, when  cold  and  lonely,  the  unexpected  attack  was 
made  and  Peter  suffered  his  tragic  defeat. 

It  may  be  easy  to  point  the  finger  of  scorn  at  the  great 
apostle,  but  there  are  few  followers  of  Christ  who  at  times 
of  less  severe  testing  have  not  as  truly  denied  their  Lord,  by 
word  or  deed,  with  cowardice  and  deceit  and  passion. 
Three  times  Peter  repeated  his  denial  and  then  he  heard  the 
crowing  of  a  cock.  The  incident  was  insignificant  in  itself, 
but  it  recalled  the  word  of  his  Master;  it  made  Peter  con- 
scious of  his  disgrace  but  it  called  him  to  himself,  and  then 
as  he  turned  toward  the  palace,  for  a  moment  he  caught 
sight  of  his  Lord.  We  may  be  unable  to  conjecture  what 
was  expressed  in  the  face  of  Jesus  as  at  that  moment  he 
"looked  upon  Peter."  There  may  have  been  something  of 
rebuke,  but  probably  there  was  more  of  unutterable  sorrow 
and  of  tender  sympathy.  We  read  that  as  "Peter  remem- 
bered the  word  of  the  Lord,  ...  he  went  out,  and  wept 
bitterly."  Surely  these  were  tears  of  repentance  and  they 
prepared  the  way  for  pardon  and  for  peace.  To  many  a 
fallen  follower  of  Christ  there  has  come  some  minute  provi- 
dence recalling  hours  of  glad  fellowship  and  messages  of 
solemn  warning,  and  the  heart  has  been  turned  toward  the 
Master,  and  true  repentance  has  been  felt  in  realizing  the 
pain  which  the  disloyalty  has  brought  to  the  loving  Lord. 


Luke  22:  63-71    JESUS  BEFORE  THE  COUNCIL  209 

The  consciousness  has  brought  bitter  tears  and  hours  of 
regret  and  of  anguish,  but  they  have  been  followed  by  a 
brighter  morning,  by  a  meeting  with  the  risen  Christ,  by  a 
new  confession  of  love,  by  words  of  peace,  and  by  a  truer 
life  of  deeper  devotion  to  his  cause. 

F.  JESUS  BEFORE  THE  JEWISH  RULERS.     Ch.  22:  63-71 

63  And  the  men  that  held  Jesus  mocked  him,  and  beat 
him.  64  And  they  blindfolded  him,  and  asked  him,  saying, 
Prophesy:  who  is  he  that  struck  thee?  65  And  many  other 
things  spake  they  against  him,  reviling  him. 

66  And  as  soon  as  it  was  day,  the  assembly  of  the  elders 
of  the  people  was  gathered  together,  both  chief  priests  and 
scribes;  and  they  led  him  away  into  their  council,  saying, 
67  If  thou  art  the  Christ,  tell  us.  But  he  said  unto  them, 
If  I  tell  you,  ye  will  not  believe:  68  and  if  I  ask  you,  ye  will  not 
answer.  69  But  from  henceforth  shall  the  Son  of  man  be 
seated  at  the  right  hand  of  the  power  of  God.  70  And  they 
all  said,  Art  thou  then  the  Son  of  God?  And  he  said  unto 
them,  Ye  say  that  I  am.  71  And  they  said,  What  further 
need  have  we  of  witness?  for  we  ourselves  have  heard  from 
his  own  mouth. 

After  Jesus  had  been  denied  by  Peter,  he  was  grossly  in- 
sulted and  abused  by  his  captors.  He  was  mocked  and 
beaten  and  reviled.  Those  responsible  for  these  indigni- 
ties were  the  Jewish  rulers,  the  most  cultured  and  refined 
and  professedly  religious  men  of  their  day;  but  the  beast 
within  man  is  more  powerful  than  we  commonly  suppose. 
When  Christ  is  rejected,  when  his  teachings  are  despised, 
when  his  Spirit  is  opposed,  then  it  is  only  a  question  of  time 
and  of  occasion  when  hatred  or  malice  or  lust  or  anger 
awaken  in  man  the  passions  and  ferocity  of  the  brute. 

When  the  morning  dawned,  Jesus  was  led  away  to  be  ar- 
raigned formally  before  the  sanhedrin,  the  supreme  eccle- 
siastical court  of  the  Jews.  He  was  supposed  to  be  on  trial 
for  his  life;  in  reality  the  council  was  being  judged,  and  in 
its  guilt  the  entire  nation  was  involved.  The  rulers  con- 
victed themselves  of  prejudice,  dishonesty,  and  malice. 
They  did  not  seek  to  learn  the  truth  that  justice  might  be 
done;  they  sought  to  find  some  evidence  on  which  Jesus 
might  be  condemned. 


210     THE  DEATH  AND  RESURRECTION    Luke  23:  1-9 

When  every  attempt  to  convict  Jesus  had  failed,  they 
finally  charged  him  in  the  words:  "If  thou  art  the  Christ, 
tell  us."  Jesus'  reply  shows  how  fully  he  appreciated  their 
blind  hatred  and  their  unwillingness  to  be  just;  he  told 
them  that  no  statement  he  might  make  would  be  believed, 
and  that  no  explanation  or  defense  he  might  offer  would  be 
accepted;  nevertheless,  he  would  answer  their  question, 
with  the  statement  that  his  exaltation  to  the  place  of  di- 
vine power  was  about  to  take  place.  Then  they  asked  him 
directly,  "Art  thou  then  the  Son  of  God?"  He  answered 
with  all  distinctness,  "Ye  say  that  I  am."  Then  they  at 
once  decreed  that  he  was  worthy  of  death.  They  had  pre- 
judged the  case.  They  were  unwilling  to  consider  whether 
his  claim  to  be  the  Son  of  God  was  true ;  they  only  wished  to 
be  sure  that  he  made  the  claim.  When  they  had  made  sure 
of  this,  they  agreed  that  he  must  die  as  a  blasphemer.  Their 
logic  was  so  far  true.  There  is  no  other  alternative.  In 
the  presence  of  Christ  there  can  be  no  neutrality.  Either 
he  was  an  impostor  who  deserves  our  contempt,  or  else  he 
is  the  divine  Son  of  God  whom  we  must  worship  and  obey. 
Every  soul  must  choose  between  the  sanhedrin  and  the 
Church. 

G.  JESUS  BEFORE  PILATE.     Ch.  23:  1-25 

1  And  the  whole  company  of  them  rose  up,  and  brought 
him  before  Pilate.  2  And  they  began  to  accuse  him,  saying, 
We  found  this  man  perverting  our  nation,  and  forbidding 
to  give  tribute  to  Caesar,  and  saying  that  he  himself  is  Christ 
a  king.  3  And  Pilate  asked  him,  saying,  Art  thou  the  King 
of  the  Jews?  And  he  answered  him  and  said,  Thou  sayest. 
4  And  Pilate  said  unto  the  chief  priests  and  the  multitudes, 
I  find  no  fault  in  this  man.  5  But  they  were  the  more  urgent, 
saying,  He  stirreth  up  the  people,  teaching  throughout  all 
Judaea,  and  beginning  from  Galilee  even  unto  this  place. 
6  But  when  Pilate  heard  it,  he  asked  whether  the  man  were 
a  Galilaean.  7  And  when  he  knew  that  he  was  of  Herod's 
jurisdiction,  he  sent  him  unto  Herod,  who  himself  also  was 
at  Jerusalem  in  these  days. 

8  Now  when  Herod  saw  Jesus,  he  was  exceeding  glad: 
for  he  was  of  a  long  time  desirous  to  see  him,  because  he  had 
heard  concerning  him;  and  he  hoped  to  see  some  miracle 
done  by  him.    9  And  he  questioned  him  in  many  words ;  but 


Luke  23:  10-25      JESUS  BEFORE  PILATE  211 

he  answered  him  nothing.  10  And  the  chief  priests  and  the 
scribes  stood,  vehemently  accusing  him.  11  And  Herod 
with  his  soldiers  set  him  at  nought,  and  mocked  him,  and 
arraying  him  in  gorgeous  apparel  sent  him  back  to  Pilate. 
12  And  Herod  and  Pilate  became  friends  with  each  other 
that  very  day:  for  before  they  were  at  enmity  between  them- 
selves. 

13  And  Pilate  called  together  the  chief  priests  and  the 
rulers  and  the  people,  14  and  said  unto  them,  Ye  brought 
unto  me  this  man,  as  one  that  perverteth  the  people:  and 
behold,  I,  having  examined  him  before  you,  found  no  fault 
in  this  man  touching  those  things  whereof  ye  accuse  him: 

15  no,  nor  yet  Herod:  for  he  sent  him  back  unto  us;  and 
behold,  nothing  worthy  of  death  hath  been  done  by  him. 

16  I  will  therefore  chastise  him,  and  release  him.  18  But 
they  cried  out  all  together,  saying,  Away  with  this  man,  and 
release  unto  us  Barabbas— 19  one  who  for  a  certain  insur- 
rection made  in  the  city,  and  for  murder,  was  cast  into  prison. 
20  And  Pilate  spake  unto  them  again,  desiring  to  release 
Jesus;  21  but  they  shouted,  saying,  Crucify,  crucify  him. 
22  And  he  said  unto  them  the  third  time,  Why,  what  evil 
hath  this  man  done?  I  have  found  no  cause  of  death  in  him: 
I  will  therefore  chastise  him  and  release  him.  23  But  they 
were  urgent  with  loud  voices,  asking  that  he  might  be  cru- 
cified. And  their  voices  prevailed.  24  And  Pilate  gave  sen- 
tence that  what  they  asked  for  should  be  done.  25  And  he 
released  him  that  for  insurrection  and  murder  had  been 
cast  into  prison,  whom  they  asked  for;  but  Jesus  he  deliv- 
ered up  to  their  will. 

The  Jews  had  been  deprived  by  their  Roman  conquerors 
of  the  right  to  inflict  capital  punishment.  When,  there- 
fore, their  chief  council  had  decided  that  Jesus  was  worthy 
of  death,  the  rulers  brought  him  to  Pilate,  the  Roman  gov- 
ernor, that  he  might  confirm  their  sentence  and  execute  the 
cruel  penalty  of  crucifixion.  The  trial  before  Pilate  devel- 
oped into  a  disgraceful  contest  between  the  murderous  and 
determined  Jewish  rulers  and  the  weak  and  vacillating 
Roman  governor,  who  was  at  last  compelled  to  act  con- 
trary to  his  conscience  and  his  desire  and  to  submit  his  will 
to  that  of  the  subjects  whom  he  detested. 

Luke  gives  only  a  bare  outline  of  the  story,  which  is 
sketched  best  by  the  apostle  John.     Enough,  however,  is 


212  THE  DEATH  AND  RESURRECTION  Luke  23:  10-25 

given  to  show  the  infamous  baseness  of  the  Jews  and  the 
futile  endeavors  of  Pilate  to  avoid  the  judicial  murder 
which  he  finally  committed.  The  Jewish  rulers  had  asked 
Pilate  to  pronounce  sentence  without  hearing  the  charge; 
this  Pilate  properly  refused  to  do.  When  the  accusation 
was  made,  Luke  shows  most  clearly  how  craftily  the  decis- 
ion of  the  Jewish  court  was  perverted,  and  how  forcibly  the 
false  charge  was  presented.  Jesus  had  been  convicted  of 
claiming  to  be  the  divine  Messiah.  It  was  the  claim  of 
deity,  and  thus  of  blasphemy,  on  which  he  was  condemned. 
The  Jews  knew  that  this  would  make  no  impression  on 
Pilate.  However,  the  office  of  Messiah  did  imply  rule  and 
authority,  and  therefore  the  claim  of  Jesus  was  distorted 
into  a  political  offense  and  he  was  charged  with  sedition, 
with  forbidding  tribute  to  Caesar,  and  with  claiming  to  be  a 
king. 

How  absurd  all  these  accusations  were,  Pilate  soon 
learned;  he  probably  was  not  a  little  suspicious  of  the  sud- 
den zeal  for  their  Roman  tyrants  shown  by  these  rebellious 
Jews.  However,  he  lacked  the  courage  of  his  convictions; 
he  declared  Jesus  to  be  innocent,  but  fearing  to  offend  the 
rulers  and  the  crowds  whom  they  had  won  to  their  will,  he 
hesitated  to  release  Jesus.  That  was  a  fatal  step;  the  only 
thing  to  do  is  to  act  with  decision  and  promptness  as  soon 
as  one  sees  what  is  right.  It  is  surely  true  in  matters  of 
conscience  that  "he  who  hesitates  is  lost." 

Then  Pilate  did  what  all  weak  men  are  apt  to  do :  he  at- 
tempted to  avoid  making  a  decision;  he  tried  to  shift  the 
responsibility;  he  learned  that  Jesus  was  from  Galilee,  and 
so  Pilate  sent  Jesus  to  be  judged  by  King  Herod,  within 
whose  realm  Galilee  lay.  Herod  was  then  in  Jerusalem, 
and  he  was  eager  to  see  Jesus,  of  whom  he  had  heard  so 
much,  and  he  hoped  that  his  curiosity  might  be  gratified 
by  seeing  Jesus  perform  some  miracle.  However,  when 
appearing  before  Herod,  Jesus  refused  even  to  answer  him 
by  a  single  word.  Jesus  has  a  message  for  every  penitent, 
and  a  miracle  for  every  believer;  but  for  the  murderer  of 
John  and  for  the  shallow,  sinful  profligate  there  is  only 
silence  and  contempt. 

To  wreak  upon  Jesus  a  petty  revenge,  Herod  mocked 


Luke  23: 10-25       JESUS  BEFORE  PILATE  213 

Jesus  by  clothing  him  with  royal  apparel,  and  sent  him 
back  thus  arrayed  to  Pilate.  It  was  a  cruel  jest,  but  it  was 
an  acquittal  of  Jesus  as  guilty  of  no  political  offense.  Thus 
Pilate  was  forced  to  act  as  judge;  others  cannot  decide  for 
us  questions  of  conscience.  When  compelled  to  act,  Pilate 
attempted  a  second  maneuver  familiar  to  all  weak  souls;  he 
proposed  to  compromise.  He  would  do  what  was  wrong 
but  he  would  avoid  the  crime  of  murder.  He  offered  to 
scourge  Jesus,  whom  he  declared  to  be  absolutely  innocent, 
or  to  release  him  as  a  notable  criminal,  as  one  such  was 
usually  released  at  this  feast.  On  the  one  hand,  he  would 
be  subjecting  Jesus  to  the  most  agonizing  bodily  torture; 
on  the  other,  he  would  brand  Jesus  as  a  malefactor  who  had 
deserved  death.  Compromise  in  a  case  of  conscience  is 
always  a  sign  of  weakness,  and  the  enemy  is  sure  to  press 
his  advantage.  As  the  rulers  saw  Pilate  yielding  thus  far, 
they  asked  for  the  release  of  a  notorious  murderer  by  the 
name  of  Barabbas;  and  as  they  saw  Jesus  coming  forth 
from  the  scourging,  torn  and  bleeding,  they  cried  out  for 
his  life,  "Crucify  him,  crucify  him."  As  Pilate  hesitated, 
the  rulers  used  their  most  deadly  weapon;  they  suggested 
that  they  would  report  Pilate  to  the  emperor  as  shielding  a 
political  revolutionist;  they  would  imperil  the  position  and 
life  of  the  governor.  This  attack  Pilate  could  not  with- 
stand; when  some  personal  loss  was  involved  conscience 
was  no  longer  to  be  considered.  He  decided  to  do  what  he 
knew  to  be  wrong;  he  "gave  sentence  that  what  they  asked 
for  should  be  done";  and  so  doing  he  placed  himself  near 
the  head  of  that  long  list  of  moral  cowards  who  share  his 
eternal  infamy  for  fearing  to  do  the  right. 

The  degradation  of  the  Jewish  rulers  was  even  greater. 
With  all  their  knowledge  of  the  moral  law,  they  who 
professed  to  be  special  representatives  of  God  t  put  to 
death  his  Son,  and  chose  a  murderer  instead'  of  the 
Saviour.  To  the  tragedy  of  such  a  choice  Luke  refers 
with  horror  in  the  only  personal  comment  he  makes  upon 
the  scene.  V.  25.  Are  not  thousands,  however,  making 
that  same  choice  to-day?  .There  can  be  no  neutral  ground; 
indecision  is  impossible:  one  must  choose  either  Barabbas 
or  Christ. 


214  THE  DEATH  AND  RESURRECTION  Luke  23:  26-38 
H.  THE  CRUCIFIXION.     Ch.  23:  26-38 

26  And  when  they  led  him  away,  they  laid  hold  upon  one 
Simon  of  Cyrene,  coming  from  the  country,  and  laid  on  him 
the  cross,  to  bear  it  after  Jesus. 

27  And  there  followed  him  a  great  multitude  of  the  people, 
and  of  women  who  bewailed  and  lamented  him.  28  But 
Jesus  turning  unto  them  said,  Daughters  of  Jerusalem,  weep 
not  for  me,  but  weep  for  yourselves,  and  for  your  children. 
29  For  behold,  the  days  are  coming,  in  which  they  shall  say, 
Blessed  are  the  barren,  and  the  wombs  that  never  bare,  and 
the  breasts  that  never  gave  suck.  30  Then  shall  they  begin 
to  say  to  the  mountains,  Fall  on  us ;  and  to  the  hills,  Cover  us. 
31  For  if  they  do  these  things  in  the  green  tree,  what  shall 
be  done  in  the  dry? 

32  And  there  were  also  two  others,  malefactors,  led  with 
him  to  be  put  to  death. 

33  And  when  they  came  unto  the  place  which  is  called 
The  skull,  there  they  crucified  him,  and  the  malefactors,  one 
on  the  right  hand  and  the  other  on  the  left.  34  And  Jesus 
said,  Father,  forgive  them;  for  they  know  not  what  they  do. 
And  parting  his  garments  among  them,  they  cast  lots.  35 
And  the  people  stood  beholding.  And  the  rulers  also  scoffed 
at  him,  saying,  He  saved  others;  let  him  save  himself,  if 
this  is  the  Christ  of  God,  his  chosen.  36  And  the  soldiers 
also  mocked  him,  coming  to  him,  offering  him  vinegar,  37  and 
saying,  If  thou  art  the  King  of  the  Jews,  save  thyself.  38  And 
there  was  also  a  superscription  over  him,  This  Is  The 
King  of  the  Jews. 

The  Gospel  narratives  spare  us  the  distressing  details  of 
the  crucifixion;  this  was  the  most  cruel  and  agonizing  form 
of  death;  but  the  facts  are  written  with  surprising  delicacy 
and  reserve.  As  Jesus  was  being  led  from  the  city  a  certain 
Simon  of  Cyrene  was  pressed  into  the  service  of  bearing  his 
cross.  The  cause  of  this  action  is  purely  a  matter  of  con- 
jecture. .  Its  result  was  to  give  Simon  immortal  fame  and 
apparently  to  secure  for  him  eternal  salvation;  for  it  seems 
that  this  experience,  and  the  knowledge  of  Christ  gained  at 
Calvary,  resulted  in  the  conversion  of  Simon  and  his  house- 
hold, Mark  15  :  21;  Rom.  16  :  13.  In  a  figure,  he  was  the 
first  of  that  long  line  of  men  and  women  who  have  taken  up 
the  cross  and  followed  Christ.  Of  course  this  is  a  mere 
symbol,  and  the  actual  contrasts  are  vital.     In  reality  no 


Luke  23: 26-38         THE  CRUCIFIXION  215 

one  can  share  the  burden  of  the  cross  which  our  Saviour 
bore.  His  sufferings,  and  his  alone,  made  atonement  for 
sin.  Then  again  no  one  can  be  compelled  to  take  up  the 
cross.  There  are  burdens  in  life  which  cannot  be  evaded 
but  one  can  refuse  the  cross.  It  is  a  type  of  the  voluntary 
suffering  endured  for  the  sake  of  Christ ;  it  is  a  symbol  of  the 
complete  sacrifice  of  self  and  the  complete  submission  to  his 
will  which  is  necessary  for  all  who  share  in  the  redeeming 
benefits  of  his  death. 

Luke  alone  records  the  incident  of  the  women  who,  wail- 
ing and  lamenting,  followed  Jesus  out  of  the  city.  It  is 
quite  fitting  that  in  this  Gospel,  in  which  womanhood  is  so 
exalted,  a  place  should  be  found  for  this  picture.  It  is  not 
to  be  supposed  that  these  were  the  loyal  friends  who  had 
followed  Jesus  on  his  journeys  and  helped  to  supply  his 
needs;  these  were  rather  residents  of  Jerusalem  whose 
hearts  were  bleeding  with  sorrow  for  the  loving  Prophet 
who  was  being  led  forth  to  an  agonizing  death.  Our  Lord 
turned  to  these  women  with  a  message  of  sympathy  and 
told  them  that  they  were  not  to  weep  for  him  but  for  them- 
selves and  their  children.  He  was  not  rebuking  them  for 
their  compassion;  he  rather  meant  to  indicate  that  while 
his  sufferings  were  pitiful,  their  own  were  more  worthy  of 
tears,  for  they  were  to  be  even  more  intense.  He  had  in 
mind  the  destruction  of  the  city  due  to  its  impenitence  and 
made  certain  by  its  rejection  of  the  Redeemer.  Jesus  de- 
clared that  the  days  would  come  when  childlessness  would 
be  a  ground  for  congratulation  because  of  the  universal 
distress.  He  predicted  that  the  horror  would  be  so  great 
that  men  would  call  upon  the  mountains  to  fall  on  them 
and  the  hills  to  cover  them,  preferring  such  forms  of  death 
to  the  torments  which  threatened  from  the  armies  of  Rome. 
Jesus  added  a  proverb,  the  force  of  which  is  evident  even 
though  its  exact  application  may  not  be  clear:  "For  if  they 
do  these  things  in  the  green  tree,  what  shall  be  done  in  the 
dry?"  In  other  words,  if  the  sufferings  of  Christ  were  so 
great,  what  would  be  the  sufferings  of  the  Jews!  If  the 
Romans  were  putting  to  death  him  whom  they  regarded  as 
innocent,  what  would  they  do  to  the  inhabitants  of  the 
rebellious  and  hated  city?     It  is  quite  in  accordance  with 


216  THE  DEATH  AND  RESURRECTION  Luke  23:  26-38 

the  character  of  Luke  to  note  how  Jesus,  in  this  very  hour 
of  his  anguish,  thought  rather  of  others  than  of  himself  and 
pronounced  this  prophesy,  not  in  resentment,  but  in  infinite 
tenderness  and  pity. 

While  the  actual  sufferings  of  the  crucifixion  are  not  de- 
scribed, Luke  tells  us  of  the  cruel  mockery  to  which  Jesus 
was  subjected.  He  states  that  two  malefactors  were  cru- 
cified with  Jesus,  "one  on  the  right  hand  and  the  other  on 
the  left."  This  was  evidently  designed  to  add  to  the 
disgrace  and  humiliation  of  his  cruel  death.  The  place 
of  the  crucifixion  was  called  "The  skull,"  probably  be- 
cause it  was  a  bare,  rounded  hill  located  outside  the  city 
gates. 

Of  the  seven  words  spoken  by  Jesus  on  the  cross,  Luke 
records  three,  all  of  them  characterized  by  love  and  trust. 
The  first  is  found  in  no  other  Gospel.  As  Jesus  tasted  the 
first  bitterness  of  his  anguish  he  was  heard  to  pray,  "Father 
forgive  them;  for  they  know  not  what  they  do."  He  did 
not  have  in  mind  simply  the  soldiers  who  were  involuntary 
instruments  of  his  death,  but  rather  the  Jews  who  had  not 
fully  recognized  the  enormity  of  their  crime.  For  them 
Jesus  felt  no  hatred  in  his  heart.  He  yearned  for  their  re- 
pentance and  their  salvation.  This  prayer  was  a  revela- 
tion of  the  matchless  grace  and  mercy  of  this  ideal  Man. 
Luke  adds  the  details  of  the  mockery  to  which  the  other 
evangelists  likewise  refer.  The  crowds  stood  gazing  upon 
the  Sufferer  but  the  rulers  and  the  soldiers  cruelly  mocked 
him;  the  former  scoffed  at  him  saying,  "He  saved  others; 
let  him  save  himself."  In  reality,  had  he  saved  himself,  he 
never  could  have  saved  others.  He  died  for  the  very  men 
who  were  deriding  him,  to  make  possible  their  salvation. 
The  soldiers  made  sport  of  him  by  casting  lots  for  his  gar- 
ments and  by  offering  him  drink  and  hailing  him  as  "King 
of  the  Jews."  This  last  title  had  been  placed  on  the  cross 
above  the  head  of  Jesus.  It  was  put  there  by  Pilate  in 
bitter  irony.  It  was  his  way  of  taking  revenge  upon  the 
rulers  who,  contrary  to  his  conscience,  had  compelled  him 
to  put  to  death  an  innocent  Man.  In  place  of  this  super- 
scription the  eye  of  faith  sees  another,  "Behold,  the  Lamb 
of  God,  that  taketh  away  the  sin  of  the  world!" 


Luke  23:39-43    THE  PENITENT  THIEF  217 

I.  THE  PENITENT  THIEF.     Ch.  23:  39-43 

39  And  one  of  the  malefactors  that  were  hanged  railed 
on  him,  saying,  Art  not  thou  the  Christ?  save  thyself  and  us. 
40  But  the  other  answered,  and  rebuking  him  said,  Dost 
thou  not  even  fear  God,  seeing  thou  art  in  the  same  condem- 
nation? 41  And  we  indeed  justly;  for  we  receive  the  due 
reward  of  our  deeds:  but  this  man  hath  done  nothing  amiss. 
42  And  he  said,  Jesus,  remember  me  when  thou  comest  in 
thy  kingdom.  43  And  he  said  unto  him,  Verily  I  say  unto 
thee,  To-day  shalt  thou  be  with  me  in  Paradise. 

This  story  which  enshrines  for  us  the  second  saying  of 
our  Lord  upon  the  cross  has  often  been  regarded  as  one  of 
the  most  significant  narratives  in  the  Gospels:  first,  be- 
cause it  gives  us  such  a  picture  of  the  unique  person  of 
Christ;  here  was  a  dying  man  who  at  the  same  time  was  a 
forgiving  God.  Then,  here  is  a  picture  of  the  transforming 
power  of  Christ  who  in  an  instant  of  time  changed  a  robber 
into  a  saint.  Most  of  all,  we  have  here  a  message  of  the 
conditions  of  salvation  which  are  ever  the  same,  namely, 
repentance  and  faith.  The  first  of  these  conditions  is 
strikingly  illustrated  from  the  fact  that  the  repentant  thief 
was  thinking  of  God  and  remembering  that  it  was  against  a 
divine  Being  that  he  had  sinned.  Of  this  fact  he  reminded 
his  companion,  intimating  that  they  might  properly  fear 
him  into  whose  august  presence  they  were  so  soon  to  be 
ushered.  It  is  the  very  essence  of  repentance  to  regard  sin, 
not  as  a  mistake  or  a  weakness,  or  as  an  injury  to  men,  but 
as  rebellion  and  insult  against  God.  His  penitence  was 
further  shown  in  his  recognition  that  the  penalty  which  he 
was  suffering  was  just,  and  in  his  recognition  of  the  innocent 
sufferings  of  Christ. 

His  faith  was  as  remarkable  as  his  repentance.  He  saw 
in  the  bleeding,  dying  Sufferer,  One  who  is  yet  to  return  as 
universal  King,  and  to  him  he  addressed  his  prayer:  "Jesus, 
remember  me  when  thou  comest  in  thy  kingdom."  We  do 
not  know  the  source  of  such  faith.  The  robber  may  have 
heard  part  of  the  trial  of  Jesus;  he  did  hear  him  praying  for 
his  enemies;  but  whatever  gave  rise  to  his  belief  and  trust, 
he  regarded  Jesus  as  a  Saviour  and  Lord  who  was  yet  to 
reign  and  who  could  bring  him  to  eternal  glory.     This 


218  THE  DEATH  AND  RESURRECTION  Luke  23: 44, 45 

story  thus  reveals  to  us  the  truth  that  salvation  is  condi- 
tioned upon  repentance  and  faith.  However,  it  contains 
other  important  messages  also.  It  declares  that  salvation 
is  independent  of  sacraments.  The  thief  had  never  been 
baptized,  nor  had  he  partaken  of  the  Lord's  Supper.  It  is 
obvious  that  had  he  lived  he  would  have  carried  out  the 
requirements  of  his  Lord  by  accepting  these  sacraments. 
He  did,  in  fact,  boldly  confess  his  faith  in  the  presence  of  a 
hostile  crowd  and  amid  the  taunts  and  jeers  of  rulers  and 
soldiers,  yet  he  was  saved  without  any  formal  rites. 

It  is  further  evident  that  salvation  is  independent  of  good 
works.  The  thief  was  pardoned  before  he  had  lived  a  sin- 
gle, righteous,  innocent  day.  Of  course,  good  works  follow 
faith;  they  evidence  its  reality;  but  faith  precedes  and  re- 
sults in  holiness.  A  life  of  goodness  is  an  expression  of 
gratitude  for  salvation  already  begun. 

It  is  further  evident  that  there  is  no  "sleep  of  the  soul." 
The  body  may  sleep,  but  consciousness  persists  after  death. 
The  word  of  the  Master  was,  "To-day  shalt  thou  be  .  .  . 
in  Paradise."  Again  it  is  evident  that  there  is  no  "purga- 
tory." If  any  man  ever  needed  discipline  and  "purifying 
fires,"  it  was  this  pentient  robber.  Out  of  a  life  of  sin  and 
shame  he  passed  immediately  into  a  state  of  blessedness. 
This  was  the  promise:  "To-day  shalt  thou  be  with  me  in 
Paradise." 

Again  it  may  be  remarked  that  salvation  is  not  universal. 
There  were  two  robbers;  only  one  was  saved.  Jesus  had 
heard  them  both  speaking  of  him.  He  did  not  say  "ye," 
but  "Verily  I  say  unto  thee,  To-day  shalt  thou  be  with  me 
in  Paradise." 

Last  of  all,  it  may  be  noted  that  the  very  essence  of  the 
joy  which  lies  beyond  death  consists  in  personal  commun- 
ion with  Christ.  The  heart  of  the  promise  to  the  dying 
thief  was  this:  "Thou  shalt  be  with  me."  This  is  our 
blessed  assurance,  that  to  depart  is  "to  be  with  Christ," 
which  is  "very  far  better." 

J.  THE  DEATH  AND  BURIAL.     Ch.  23:44-56 

44  And  it  was  now  about  the  sixth  hour,  and  a  jiarkness 
*ame  over  the  whole  land  until  the  ninth  hour,  45" the  sun's 


Luke  23 :  46-56  THE  DEATH  AND  BURIAL  219 

light  failing:  and  the  veil  of  the  temple  was  rent  in  the  midst. 
46  And  Jesus,  crying  with  a  loud  voice,  said,  Father,  into  thy 
hands  I  commend  my  spirit:  and  having  said  this,  he  gave 
up  the  ghost.  47  And  when  the  centurion  saw  what  was  done, 
he  glorified  God,  saying,  Certainly  this  was  a  righteous  man. 
48  And  all  the  multitudes  that  came  together  to  this  sight, 
when  they  beheld  the  things  that  were  done,  returned  smiting 
their  breasts.  49  And  all  his  acquaintance,  and  the  women 
that  followed  with  him  from  Galilee,  stood  afar  off,  seeing 
these  things. 

50  And  behold,  a  man  named  Joseph,  who  was  a  councillor, 
a  good  and  righteous  man  51  (he  had  not  consented  to  their 
counsel  and  deed),  a  man  of  Arimathaea,  a  city  of  the  Jews, 
who  was  looking  for  the  kingdom  of  God:  52  this  man  went 
to  Pilate,  and  asked  for  the  body  of  Jesus.  53  And  he  took 
it  down,  and  wrapped  it  in  a  linen  cloth,  and  laid  him  in  a  tomb 
that  was  hewn  in  stone,  where  never  man  had  yet  lain. 
54  And  it  was  the  day  of  the  Preparation,  and  the  sabbath 
drew  on.  55  And  the  women  who  had  come  with  him  out 
of  Galilee,  followed  after,  and  beheld  the  tomb,  and  how  his 
body  was  laid.  56  And  they  returned  and  prepared  spices 
and  ointments. 

And  on  the  sabbath  they  rested  according  to  the  command- 
ment. 

The  death  of  Christ  was  an  event  of  such  supreme  impor- 
tance that  it  properly  was  accompanied  by  supernatural 
signs  of  deep  significance.  Of  these  Luke  mentions  two. 
The  first  was  the  darkened  skies,  a  fit  symbol  of  the  black- 
est crime  in  all  the  history  of  man.  The  second  was  the 
rending  of  the  Temple  veil,  a  type  of  the  "new  and  living 
way"  opened  into  the  presence  of  God  for  all  believers. 
Thus  these  two  signs  correspond  to  the  human  and  the 
divine  aspects  of  this  atoning  death,  and  indicate  the  hei- 
nousness  of  sin  and  the  purpose  of  redeeming  grace. 

The  last  word  spoken  by  Jesus  on  the  cross  was  an  ex- 
pression of  perfect  trust  and  peace.  He  had  shown  his 
sympathy  for  others  by  his  prayer,  by  his  promise  to  the 
penitent  thief,  and  by  his  provision  for  his  mother ;  by  three 
other  words  he  had  revealed  his  sufferings  of  mind  and  body 
and  their  result  in  a  completed  redemption:  "My  God,  my 
God"  .  .  .  ;  "I  thirst;"  "it  is  finished."  He  now  breathed 
out  his  soul  in  a  sentence  of  absolute  confidence  taken  from 


220  THE  DEATH  AND  RESURRECTION  Luke  23: 46-56 

the  psalmist  and  recorded  by  Luke  alone:  "Father,  into 
thy  hands  I  commend  my  spirit."  It  was  the  supreme 
utterance  of  faith.  The  earthly  ministry  of  the  Son  of  God 
had  ended. 

Luke  notes  the  effects  produced  by  the  manner  of  Jesus' 
death,  and  by  the  accompanying  signs  upon  the  Roman 
centurion,  the  Jewish  multitudes,  and  the  Christian  dis- 
ciples. The  soldier  was  so  impressed  that  he  "glorified 
God,"  giving  his  testimony  to  the  fact  that  the  One  whom 
he  had  crucified  as  a  criminal  was  a  "righteous  man." 
Possibly  he  may  be  regarded  as  a  type  of  that  host  of  be- 
lieving Gentiles,  of  whom  Luke  liked  to  write,  who  were  yet 
to  enlist  under  the  banner  of  the  cross. 

The  crowds  of  Jews  had  little  real  desire  for  the  crucifix- 
ion of  Jesus;  they  had  been  hounded  by  their  rulers  to  cry 
out  for  his  death,  but  they  now  returned  to  the  city  "smit- 
ing their  breasts"  in  an  agony  of  remorse,  a  prophecy  of 
Israel's  future  repentance  and  mourning  as  they  "look  on 
him  whom  they  pierced." 

Most  pathetic  of  all  was  that  group  of  saddened  disciples 
who  "stood  afar  off"  gazing  in  bewilderment  upon  the 
scene;  but  for  them  the  meaning  of  that  cross  would  begin 
to  dawn  as  they  should  meet  their  risen  Lord.  For  none  of 
his  followers  has  the  cross  lost  its  mystery;  yet  to  them  all 
it  has  become  a  symbol  of  triumph  and  of  hope. 

The  body  of  Jesus  was  given  burial  by  Joseph  of  Arima- 
thaea,  a  man  whom  Matthew  designates  as  rich,  Mark  as  a 
"councillor  of  honorable  estate,"  and  Luke  as  "good  and 
righteous."  Thus  together  they  describe  an  ideal  man  from 
the  Jewish  and  Roman  and  Greek  point  of  view.  Per- 
haps he  is  to  be  criticized  for  not  having  identified  him- 
self before  this  more  publicly  with  the  cause  of  Christ;  but 
Luke  makes  not  the  slightest  unfavorable  reflection  upon 
his  character.  He  declares  definitely  that  this  powerful  and 
influential  member  of  the  sanhedrin  "had  not  consented" 
to  the  "counsel  and  deed"  of  the  rulers  who  had  com- 
passed the  death  of  Jesus;  and  now  in  the  hour  when  his 
Master  was  most  deeply  dishonored,  he  risked  the  scorn  of 
the  people  and  the  hatred  of  the  rulers  and  begged  from 
Pilate  the  body  of  Jesus,  which  he  wrapped  in  linen  cloth 


Luke  24:  1-12  THE  EMPTY  TOMB  221 

and  lay  reverently  in  his  own  new,  rock-hewn  tomb.  It 
was  a  deed  of  loving  devotion,  and  adds  a  gratifying  con- 
trast and  a  touch  of  tenderness  to  the  story  of  the  cross. 

Other  loving  hearts  longed  to  have  a  part  in  this  expres- 
sion of  affection.  The  women  who  had  followed  Jesus 
out  of  Galilee,  noted  the  place  of  his  burial  and  purchased 
perfumes  to  embalm  the  body  of  their  Lord.  However,  as 
the  declining  sun  marked  the  beginning,  at  eventide,  of  the 
Sabbath,  they  rested  until  the  first  day  of  the  week,  and 
then  they  found  that  their  task  was  needless.  It  was  well 
to  show  affection  for  the  crucified  Master,  it  is  a  greater 
privilege  to  serve  a  risen  Lord. 

K.  THE  EMPTY  TOMB.    Ch.  24: 1-12 

1  But  on  the  first  day  of  the  week,  at  early  dawn,  they 
came  unto  the  tomb,  bringing  the  spices  which  they  had  pre- 
pared. 2  And  they  found  the  stone  rolled  away  from  the 
tomb.  3  And  they  entered  in,  and  found  not  the  body  of  the 
Lord  Jesus.  4  And  it  came  to  pass,  while  they  were  perplexed 
thereabout,  behold,  two  men  stood  by  them  in  dazzling  apparel : 
5  and  as  they  were  affrighted  and  bowed  down  their  faces  to 
the  earth,  they  said  unto  them,  Why  seek  ye  the  living  among 
the  dead?  6  He  is  not  here,  but  is  risen:  remember  how  he 
spake  unto  you  when  he  was  yet  in  Galilee,  7  saying  that  the 
Son  of  man  must  be  delivered  up  into  the  hands  of  sinful  men, 
and  be  crucified,  and  the  third  day  rise  again.  8  And  they 
remembered  his  words,  9  and  returned  from  the  tomb,  and 
told  all  these  things  to  the  eleven,  and  to  all  the  rest.  10  Now 
they  were  Mary  Magdalene,  and  Joanna,  and  Mary  the  mother 
of  James :  and  the  other  women  with  them  told  these  things 
unto  the  apostles.  11  And  these  words  appeared  in  their 
sight  as  idle  talk;  and  they  disbelieved  them.  12  But  Peter 
arose,  and  ran  unto  the  tomb;  and  stooping  and  looking  in, 
he  seeth  the  linen  cloths  by  themselves ;  and  he  departed  to 
his  home,  wondering  at  that  which  was  come  to  pass. 

After  seeing  where  Jesus  was  buried  the  women  who  had 
followed  him  from  Galilee  and  had  ministered  to  him, 
began  preparing  spices  and  ointments  with  which  to 
embalm  his  body.  However,  as  the  day  drew  to  its 
close,  because  this  Friday  evening  was  the  beginning  of  a 
Jewish  Sabbath,  they  rested  from  their  labor  of  love  until 


222    THE  DEATH  AND  RESURRECTION    Luke  24:  1-12 

Sunday,  "the  first  day  of  the  week,"  and  then  "at  early 
dawn"  they  came  to  the  tomb,  but  were  astonished  to  find 
that  the  body  of  Jesus  was  gone. 

There  are  several  explanations  of  this  empty  tomb, 
but  only  one  which  is  credible  and  which  accords  with 
the  facts.  Some  persons  profess  to  believe  that  Jesus 
did  not  die,  that  he  only  swooned  upon  the  cross,  that  he 
regained  consciousness  after  being  laid  in  the  tomb,  that 
he  escaped  and  then  appeared  to  his  disciples;  but  Jesus 
had  declared  that  he  was  to  die  and  was  to  rise  again  on 
the  third  day,  and  he  afterwards  made  his  disciples  believe 
that  such  an  experience  had  been  his;  this  theory,  there- 
fore, cannot  be  held  without  denying  the  honesty  and 
morality  of  our  Lord. 

A  second  theory  maintains  that"  his  disciples  came  by 
night,  and  stole"  away  his  body;  but  these  disciples  con- 
tinually declared  that  he  rose  from  the  dead  on  the  third 
day;  according  to  this  theory,  then,  these  disciples  were 
impostors;  but  this  can  be  believed  by  no  one  familiar 
with  their  subsequent  lives  and  influence. 

It  is  as  impossible  to  believe  the  third  theory  namely,  that 
the  enemies  of  Jesus  stole  his  body,  for  had  that  body 
been  in  their  possession,  how  gladly  they  would  have 
produced  it  and  thus  forever  have  silenced  the  disciples 
who  declared  that  Jesus  was  alive  and  that  his  resurrec- 
tion proved  these  enemies  had  put  to  death  an  innocent 
Man,  their  divine  Messiah. 

The  only  true  explanation  of  this  empty  tomb  is  that 
given  to  the  wondering  women  by  two  angels:  "Why 
seek  ye  the  living  among  the  dead?  He  is  not  here,  but 
is  risen:  remember  how  he  spake  unto  you  when  he  was 
yet  in  Galilee."  This  startling  statement  of  the  angels 
embodies  the  substance  of  the  message  delivered  by  the 
apostles.  The  truth  it  declares  forms  the  corner  stone 
of  Christian  faith.  The  resurrection  of  our  Lord  is  vitally 
connected  with  all  the  realities  which  relate  to  his  person 
and  work  and  to  the  life  of  his  followers. 

When,  however,  the  fact  of  the  resurrection  had  been 
reported  to  the  apostles,  they  regarded  the  words  of  the 
women  "as  idle  talk,  and  they  disbelieved  them."    This 


Luke  24:  13-24    THE  WALK  TO  EMMAUS  223 

incredulity  on  the  part  of  the  apostles  shows  the  absolute 
absurdity  of  another  theory  advanced  by  those  who  deny 
the  resurrection  of  our  Lord,  namely,  the  theory  that 
his  followers  so  eagerly  expected  him  to  rise  from  the 
dead  that  their  fevered  brains  finally  imagined  that  he 
had  so  risen  and  they  testified  to  what  was  only  a  product 
of  their  own  fancy.  In  reality  the  disciples  did  not 
expect  Jesus  to  rise,  and,  as  here  recorded,  when  the  truth 
was  reported  to  them,  they  refused  to  accept  it  until 
proof  upon  proof  had  been  given  them  and  doubt  and 
unbelief  became  absolutely  impossible.  They  were  pre- 
pared, however,  for  further  proofs  by  the  fact  that  the 
tomb  in  which  the  body  was  laid  had  been  found  empty. 
There  is  even  more  weighty  evidence  of  the  resurrection; 
but  those  who  deny  this  supremely  important  event  must 
give  first  some  rational  account  of  this  empty  tomb. 

L.  THE  WALK  TO  EMMAUS.     Ch.  24:  13-35 

13  And  behold,  two  of  them  were  going  that  very  day  to  a 
village  named  Emmaus,  which  was  threescore  furlongs  from 
Jerusalem.  24  And  they  communed  with  each  other  of  all 
these  things  which  had  happened.  15  And  it  came  to  pass, 
while  they  communed  and  questioned  together,  that  Jesus 
himself  drew  near,  and  went  with  them.  16  But  their  eyes 
were  holden  that  they  should  not  know  him.  17  And  he  said 
unto  them,  What  communications  are  these  that  ye  have  one 
with  another,  as  ye  walk?  And  they  stood  still,  looking  sad. 
18  And  one  of  them,  named  Cleopas,  answering  said  unto  him, 
Dost  thou  alone  sojourn  in  Jerusalem  and  not  know  the  things 
which  are  come  to  pass  there  in  these  days?  19  And  he  said 
unto  them,  What  things?  And  they  said  unto  him,  The  things 
concerning  Jesus  the  Nazarene,  who  was  a  prophet  mighty  in 
deed  and  word  before  God  and  all  the  people:  20  and  how 
the  chief  priests  and  our  rulers  delivered  him  up  to  be  con- 
demned to  death,  and  crucified  him.  21  But  we  hoped  that  it 
was  he  who  should  redeem  Israel.  Yea  and  besides  all  this, 
it  is  now  the  third  day  since  these  things  came  to  pass. 
22  Moreover  certain  women  of  our  company  amazed 
us,  having  been  early  at  the  tomb;  23  and  when  they 
found  not  his  body  they  came,  saying,  that  they  had  also 
seen  a  vision  of  angels,  who  said  that  he  was  alive.  24 
And  certain  of  them  that  were  with  us  went    to  the  tomb, 


224  THE  DEATH  AND  RESURRECTION  Luke  24:  25-35 

and  found  it  even  so  as  the  women  had  said:  but  him  they 
saw  not.  25  And  he  said  unto  them,  O  foolish  men,  and 
slow  of  heart  to  believe  in  all  that  the  prophets  have  spoken ! 
26  Behooved  it  not  the  Christ  to  suffer  these  things,  and  to 
enter  into  his  glory?  27  And  beginning  from  Moses  and  from 
all  the  prophets,  he  interpreted  to  them  in  all  the  scriptures 
the  things  concerning  himself.  28  And  they  drew  nigh  unto 
the  village,  whither  they  were  going: and  he  made  as  though 
he  would  go  further.  29  And  they  constrained  him,  saying, 
Abide  with  us ;  for  it  is  toward  evening,  and  the  day  is  now 
far  spent.  And  he  went  in  to  abide  with  them.  30  And  it 
came  to  pass,  when  he  had  sat  down  with  them  to  meat,  he 
took  the  bread  and  blessed ;  and  breaking  it  he  gave  to  them. 
31  And  their  eyes  were  opened,  and  they  knew  him;  and  he 
vanished  out  of  their  sight.  32  And  they  said  one  to  another, 
Was  not  our  heart  burning  within  us,  while  he  spake  to  us  in 
the  way,  while  he  opened  to  us  the  scriptures?  33  And  they 
rose  up  that  very  hour,  and  returned  to  Jerusalem,  and  found 
the  eleven  gathered  together,  and  them  that  were  with  them, 
34  saying,  The  Lord  is  risen  indeed,  and  hath  appeared 
to  Simon.  35  And  they  rehearsed  the  things  that  happened 
in  the  way,  and  how  he  was  known  of  them  in  the  breaking  of 
the  bread. 

No  man  saw  Christ  rise;  but  many  saw  the  risen  Christ. 
He  appeared  to  Mary  and  to  Peter  and  to  James  and  to 
"the  eleven"  and  to  more  than  five  hundred  disciples 
at  one  time;  but  of  the  appearances  on  the  day  of  his 
resurrection  none  is  recorded  with  more  dramatic  vivid- 
ness and  more  definiteness  of  detail  than  that  related  by 
Luke  when  Jesus  walked  with  two  disciples  toward 
Emmaus. 

This  village  was  probably  situated  some  seven  miles 
northwest  of  Jerusalem.  Thither  these  two  men  were 
moving  with  sad  and  discouraged  hearts  when  Jesus 
joined  them  and  drew  from  them  expressions  of  their 
disappointment  and  despair.  The  One  on  whom  they  had 
set  their  hopes  of  redemption  for  Israel  had  been  put  to 
death,  and  although  he  had  spoken  mysteriously  of  a 
resurrection  on  the  third  day,  the  day  was  passing,  and 
he  had  not  been  seen,  although  it  was  true  that  reports 
had  reached  them  of  a  vision  of  angels  who  said  that  he 
was  alive.     Such  in  substance  seem  to  have  been   their 


Luke  24:25-35     THE  WALK  TO  EMMAUS  225 

words,  in  no  small  measure  a  confession  of  obstinate 
unbelief.  They  had  little  expectation  that  the  Lord 
would  fulfill  his  own  promises;  the  third  day  of  which 
he  had  spoken  was  not  ended  and  yet  they  were  hopelessly 
turning  their  backs  upon  Jerusalem;  heavenly  messengers 
had  sent  them  an  announcement  of  cheer  which  they 
refused  to  receive. 

It  was  not  strange,  therefore,  that  Jesus  rebuked  them: 
"O  foolish  men,  and  slow  of  heart  to  believe  in  all  that 
the  prophets  have  spoken!  Behooved  it  not  the  Christ 
to  suffer  these  things,  and  to  enter  into  his  glory?"  It 
is  noticeable  that  Jesus  did  not  chide  them  for  refusing 
to  accept  his  own  words,  or  those  of  their  friends,  or  those 
of  angels;  they  were  rebuked  for  not  believing  the  Old 
Testament.  They  had  accepted  it  in  part;  as  men  often 
accept  just  so  much  as  suits  their  prejudices  and  tastes 
and  notions;  but  they  failed  to  believe  in  all  that  the 
prophets  had  spoken,  and  particularly  the  predictions  of 
Jesus'  atoning  death,  and  of  his  return  to  the  heavenly 
glory  which  he  would  share  when  he  ascended.  (  They 
listened  in  wonder  to  his  explanation  of  the  Scriptures, 
and  finally  as  they  were  sitting  at  meat  with  him  they 
discovered  that  they  were  in  the  actual  presence  of  their 
living  Lord.)  As  he  disappeared  from  sight,  they  hastened 
back  to  the  disciples  in  Jerusalem  and  found  them  already 
wondering  at  the  news  that  earlier  in  the  day  Jesus  had 
appeared  to  Peter. 

/No  story  tells  us  more  impressively  the  truth  that  a 
divine  Saviour  walks  beside  us  all  the  way  of  our  earthly 
journey.  It  is  pathetic  that  our  eyes  are  so  often  dimmed 
by  unbelief  that  we  fail  to  realize  his  presence.  We 
walk  and  are  sad  while  we  might  be  rejoicing  in  his  com- 
panionship. It  may  be  as  the  Scriptures  are  opened  to  us, 
or  as  we  meet  to  break  bread  in  his  name,  that  our  blind- 
ness will  be  removed;  and  surely  when  the  journey  ends 
and  we  enter  the  home  toward  which  we  are  moving,  we 
shall  see  him  face  to  face,  and  the  vision  will  not  fade  in 
deepening  twilight,  but  grow  more  glorious  through  the 
eternal  day. 


226   THE  DEATH  AND  RESURRECTION  Luke  24:36-43 

M.  JESUS  APPEARING  TO  THE  APOSTLES 
Ch.  24:  36-43 

36  And  as  they  spake  these  things,  he  himself  stood  in  the 
midst  of  them,  and  saith  unto  them,  Peace  be  unto  you.  37 
But  they  were  terrified  and  affrighted,  and  supposed  that  they 
beheld  a  spirit.  38  And  he  said  unto  them,  Why  are  ye 
troubled?  and  wherefore  do  questionings  arise  in  your  heart? 
39  See  my  hands  and  my  feet,  that  it  is  I  myself:  handle  me, 
and  see;  for  a  spirit  hath  not  flesh  and  bones,  as  ye  behold  me 
having.  40  And  when  he  had  said  this,  he  showed  them  his 
hands  and  his  feet.  41  And  while  they  still  disbelieved  for 
joy,  and  wondered,  he  said  unto  them,  Have  ye  here  anything 
to  eat?  42  And  they  gave  him  a  piece  of  a  broiled  fish.  43 
And  he  took  it,  and  ate  before  them. 

The  incidents  of  the  day  on  which  Jesus  rose  from  the 
dead,  as  recorded  by  Luke,  form  not  only  a  sequence  in 
time,  but  also  move  in  logical  order.  The  empty  tomb 
can  be  explained  by  no  other  theory  than  that  of  a  resur- 
rection; but  this  was  only  negative  proof.  To  it  was  added 
the  actual  appearance  of  Jesus  to  two  disciples  on  their 
way  to  Emmaus.  Yet  this  was  not  evidence  enough. 
Some  persons  might  believe  that  such  an  appearance  had 
been  a  mere  vision,  a  phantom,  a  ghost;  therefore,  as 
Luke  relates  the  appearance  of  Jesus  to  the  eleven  dis- 
ciples in  the  upper  room,  after  night  had  fallen,  he  lays 
stress  upon  the  fact  that  Jesus  appeared  in  bodily  form. 
When  the  disciples  saw  him  they  thought  that  they  did 
see  a  mere  specter,  an  apparition,  a  spirit,  just  as  many 
persons  have  thought,  even  to  the  present  day;  but  to 
forever  dispel  such  .  a  false  impression,  Jesus,  by  every 
possible  appeal  to  the  senses,  made  it  evident  that  he 
possessed  not  an  "immaterial,"  or  "spiritual,"  or  "celes- 
tial" body,  but  the  identical  body  of  flesh  and  blood 
which  on  Friday  had  been  crucified  and  laid  in  the  tomb; 
in  that  actual  body,  scarred  by  the  cruel  nails,  a  body 
capable  of  eating  food,  a  material  body  which  could  be 
touched  and  felt,  he  appeared  to  his  disciples.  Moreover, 
he  solemnly  declared  that  he  was  not  a  disembodied  spirit; 
he  showed  them  the  wounds  in  his  hands  and  feet;  he 
declared  that  a  spirit  does  not  have  flesh  and  bones  which 
they  saw  he  had;  and  finally,  to  remove  every  lingering 


Luke  24: 44-49  THE  LAST  WORDS  227 

doubt,  he  took  "a  piece  of  a  broiled  fish  "and  "ate  before 
them."  The  appearances  and  disappearances  of  Jesus 
after  his  resurrection  may  have  been  mysterious  or  mi- 
raculous as  was  his  walking  upon  the  sea  in  the  days  of 
his  previous  ministry;  but  he  gave  his  disciples  to  under- 
stand by  every  conceivable,  sensible  sign  that  he  had  risen 
from  the  dead  in  his  actual,  physical,  human  body.  The 
theory  that  the  resurrection  can  be  explained  as  a  halluci- 
nation, a  vision,  or  an  apparition  is  forever  silenced  by  the 
testimony  of  Luke,  the  careful  historian,  the  intelligent 
physician.  Upon  the  foundation  of  the  established  fact 
of  a  literal,  bodily  resurrection,  this  superstructure  of 
our  Christian  faith  firmly  stands. 

N.  THE  LAST  WORDS.    Ch.  24:  44-49 

44  And  he  said  unto  them,  These  are  my  words  which  I 
spake  unto  you,  while  I  was  yet  with  you,  that  all  things  must 
needs  be  fulfilled,  which  are  written  in  the  law  of  Moses,  and 
the  prophets,  and  the  psalms,  concerning  me.  45  Then 
opened  he  their  mind,  that  they  might  understand  the  scrip- 
tures ;  46  and  he  said  unto  them,  Thus  it  is  written,  that  the 
Christ  should  suffer,  and  rise  again  from  the  dead  the  third 
day;  47  and  that  repentance  and  remission  of  sins  should  be 
preached  in  his  name  unto  all  the  nations,  beginning  from  Je- 
rusalem. 48  Ye  are  witnesses  of  these  things.  49  And  be- 
hold, I  send  forth  the  promise  of  my  Father  upon  you:  but 
tarry  ye  in  the  city,  until  ye  be  clothed  with  power  from  on  high. 

It  need  not  be  supposed  that  the  last  words  of  Jesus 
as  recorded  by  Luke  were  spoken  on  the  day  of  the  resur- 
rection or  at  any  one  time  or  place.  They  more  probably 
indicate  the  general  substance  of  those  teachings  which 
are  given  by  the  risen  Christ  to  his  disciples  during  the 
forty  days  between  his  resurrection  and  his  ascension. 

They  are  luminous  with  truths  which  are  needed  by  the 
disciples  of  Christ  to-day.  Among  them  are  such  facts 
as  these:  The  Scriptures  contain  authoritative  messages 
concerning  Christ;  these  messages  can  be  understood  only 
by  those  who  believe  in  Christ  and  are  guided  by  him; 
the  essential  truths  concerning  Christ  center  in  the  facts 
of  his  death  and  resurrection;  in  virtue  of  the  salvation 


228  THE  DEATH  AND  RESURRECTION  Luke  24:  50-53 

thus  secured,  repentance  and  forgiveness  of  sins  can  be 
preached;  this  salvation  is  to  be  proclaimed  in  all  the 
world ;  the  followers  of  Christ  are  the  messengers  by  whom 
this  good  news  is  to  be  made  known;  the  power  for  such 
proclamation  is  imparted  by  the  Spirit  of  Christ  who 
was  manifested  in  new  power  on  the  Day  of  Pentecost, 
and  who  is  now  an  abiding  Presence  and  a  source  of 
limitless  strength  to  all  who  seek  to  do  the  will  of  Christ 
and  to  glorify  his  name. 

O.  THE  ASCENSION,    Ch.  24:  50-53 

50  And  he  led  them  out  until  they  were  over  against  Beth- 
any: and  he  lifted  up  his  hands,  and  blessed  them.  51  And 
it  came  to  pass,  while  he  blessed  them,  he  parted  from  them, 
and  was  carried  up  into  heaven.  52  And  they  worshipped 
him,  and  returned  to  Jerusalem  with  great  joy :  53  and  were 
continually  in  the  temple,  blessing  God. 

The  ascension  of  our  Lord  was  an  event  quite  distinct 
from  the  resurrection;  it  occurred  nearly  six  weeks  later, 
and  indicates  a  number  of  supremely  important  truths. 

1.  Jesus  then  withdrew  from  the  sphere  of  the  seen 
and  physical  to  the  sphere  of  the  unseen  and  spiritual. 
He  did  not  pass  up  or  down  through  vast  spaces  of  the 
skies.  We  are  not  to  think  of  him  as  far  away.  He  is 
an  unseen,  divine  Presence,  superior  to  the  limitations 
of  time  and  space,  and  capable  of  being  manifest  in  any 
period  or  place.  The  ascension  should  make  us  feel  that 
Jesus  is  near  rather  than  far  away. 

2.  Jesus  then  assumed  universal  power;  not  at  the 
time  of  his  resurrection,  but  at  the  time  of  his  ascension, 
he  was  seated  "on  the  right  hand  of  the  Majesty  on  high." 
This  indicates  divine  omnipotence.  It  is  the  continual 
representation  of  the  New  Testament  that  Jesus  Christ  has 
all  authority  in  heaven  and  on  earth.  The  ascension  should 
therefore  remind  us  of  the  limitless  power  of  Christ. 

3.  It  was  therefore  at  the  time  of  the  ascension  that 
Jesus  entered  "into  his  glory."  Then  it  was  that  his 
body  was  transformed,  made  deathless,  "spiritual," 
celestial,  immortal;  and  then  he  again  began  to  share 
the  divine  glory  which  he  had  with  the  Father  "before 


Luke  24: 50-53  THE  ASCENSION  229 

the  world  was."  The  ascension,  therefore,  is  a  pledge  and 
type  of  the  glory  which  yet  awaits  his  followers.  It  is  an 
assurance  that  he  yet  will  fulfill  his  promises  and  will 
again  appear;  emerging  from  the  sphere  of  the  unseen  he 
will  be  manifested  to  all  mankind  as  both  the  ideal  Man 
and  as  the  Saviour  of  the  world. 


Princeton  Theological   Seminary  Libraries 


1    1012  01356  1248 


£*,,& 


1 
i 

SH 

ill 

II 

11 

IS] 

If  ill 

Si 

1 

tSllilill 

re* 

1 

IS  I 
ill 

1     If  1 

III 

ii 

I«g 

1 

1  HI  i 

.lllillllffllS 

HHHH1 

1 ,    :    1 

illiij;,!;  | 

I 

ill 

ilii 
1111™ 

t|y 

j| ||  i 

fill 

11 

iiRilillliiKl 

iS'liPi'J'KiPlK 

IHh|^B|  ;•  i 

WbWi  '''ill' ■  ri'iil'r 

■1 

mi 

.i'ii,  l.j  ffl 

iiii  i 

iSiiil 

BIBJB 

H 

II 


